Hi!  My name is Iffley and I am a cat; born December 1996 on a cold and blustery street in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I was adopted from the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) on March 1, 1997, where I was showcased at the Eaton’s Place Satellite location. That was a very long time ago!

My owner Wendy and her sister Eleanor were out shopping and stopped to make a donation to the WHS.  Lucky for me I caught their eye! They told me later that it’s because my beautiful orange fur coat was the same color as Wendy’s hair!  It was a match made in heaven!

So instead of purchasing that just right handbag, Wendy ended up shopping for my litter box, food and all my toys before I arrived to live in my new home in Osborne Village. I was so ecstatic to have found my forever friend, and loved to lie spread-eagle on my new bed – one very happy cat!

Wendy and her soon-to-be husband Phil, decided to call me Iffley after the road where they met in Oxford, England, a couple of years before. I fit into their lives perfectly! 

But before I knew it, things were about to change.

Wendy married Phil and we all moved to sunny, hot Los Angeles, California.  L.A. has a population of 4 million and is the second most populous city in the United States. This small-town cat was going to the BIG city!

I traveled by plane, and that would be my very first and last trip via that mode of transportation! No purring; it was just awful!

We spent a couple of years in my L.A. apartment with a roof-top deck (that was the life) before settling into our new home in North Hollywood, the Entertainment Capital of the World. I never met any movie folks, but Wendy and Phil were undoubtedly the brightest stars on my Hollywood Walk of Fame!

In my new home I had an awesome cat flap, so I could come and go and relax in my spacious  tree-lined back yard. Ah, those were the days, sunning myself in or under the fruit trees! I never ventured outside of my yard except for one night… all night!  Wendy and Phil were frantic with worry. Finally they tracked me down; wet and confused after being surprised by an automated sprinkler system!

Just when I thought things were perfect, Wendy and Phil had to return to Winnipeg for a couple of months. This time I traveled by car and stayed with my relatives, including my nephew, a feline named Mikky (also adopted from the WHS), in Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba. I enjoyed heading back to my roots and although I didn’t like travelling by car much at first, I soon got used to it. At least it wasn’t that horrible “iron bird”, like last time!

After returning to L.A., I spent another 4 years in Hollywood. (No cat commercials, but Wendy and Phil thought I was the cat’s meow anyway.) As time went on, they realized that the lights and action were a bit too much for me. It was decided that we should all venture to Vashon Island, Washington to live out the rest of my 9 lives. 

Situated in the “Heart of the Sound” with views of water or mountains at every corner, Vashon can only be reached by a breathtakingly beautiful ferry ride. I must admit that trip was rather painless!

My island is magical! The pace is slower and all the people are friendlier and more relaxed. Vashon Island is just west of Seattle, approximately 13 miles long and 8 miles at the widest point with a year-round population of about 11,000.   My new home is nestled on a hillside, overlooking the Olympic Mountains. This is my heaven on earth after the bustling pace of L.A.!

Soon after arriving, we welcomed a new addition to our family – a lab cross puppy named Sally. Sally was adopted from Homeward Pet Adoptions, a shelter in Woodinville, WA. I basically ignored her; I mean she’s just a dog, but tolerable as far as dogs are concerned. I would never let anyone know that deep down I considered her my beloved companion. 

So, my human friends in Friendly Manitoba, this is my life and what a life it is!

To my furry friends waiting to be adopted at the WHS, don’t despair. There is someone special out there waiting to share his or her life with you.  Who knows where you might travel and what far and exotic places you will end up!

Note: Iffley is now an Angel in animal heaven, passing away in 2010 from renal failure. Wendy and Phil were heartbroken, having spent 2 years trying to treat his condition.  They keep Iffley’s memory alive by sharing stories and photos.

After some time, they adopted 2 new furry kittens (joining Sally the dog) named Bentley and Riley, from Vashon Island Pet Protectors.

The family continues to reside on Vashon Island, WA.

Shadow was rescued from the Whitedog Indian Reservation in Ontario where my boyfriend was working building a school two years ago. Shadow was about 3 to 5 years old and had survived those years using his wit and charm!

He befriended the construction crews who fell in love him and fed him for the duration of the construction, which took a few years. He became beloved by all and slept beneath the work trailer at night.  Sadly one of the bosses tried to get rid of him on two occasions, by driving him to the dump which was over ten miles away. Each time Shadow found his way back to the site. Winters must have been harsh for this tenacious creature and it’s a miracle he survived. He has scars and a broken rib that indicate what his life was like at times. It amazes us that he lived with cruelty, danger, no home or a family to love him and yet this dog is so gentle and full of love with a pure joy for life. He just doesn’t have a mean or angry bone in his body!

As winter approaches, the reservation authorities will round up stray dogs and “dispose” of them. This is due to the fact that these dogs form packs over the winter as food becomes scarce and they will attack children and other animals as they become more desperate for food. While Shadow had never exhibited this behaviour he had thus far escaped this fate but we realized that his days were numbered. Also, he had formed a particular attachment to my boyfriend Chris and would wait for him to arrive each morning to greet him and get cuddled. I always said that Shadow picked us not the other way around! So as the job wound down we decided to take “our” dog home.

We drove into the reserve on a pitch-black, stormy night in the driving rain. I didn’t think we would ever find him but Chris called out into the darkness and minutes later Shadow emerged, muddy, freezing and soaked but just so loving and excited to see us. We had great difficulty getting him in the car and then out of it, as he was terrified of the vehicle. Then we couldn’t get him to come indoors so we had to lift and carry him in. We were all covered in mud and the bath was pure bedlam!

I think back on that night and smile as I see Shadow now – lying on his back in front of the fire with all four legs stretched up into the air and looking like the king of his castle…wagging his tail and hoping for a pat as I pass by.

Shadow is the most intelligent dog I have ever had the pleasure of loving but his best trait is his personality. He is such a character with a terrific sense of humour and a huge sense of adventure. We took him to Lake of the Woods for the summer where he would swim several kilometers to explore neighboring islands! Our neighbours fell in love with him and sometimes would keep him for sleepovers! It became a common occurrence for a boat to arrive at our dock to drop Shadow off when we weren’t even aware he had gone adventuring! Our biggest fear was that someone would eventually keep him for themselves and we prevented him from these visits as much as we could. Shadow would spend hours looking up a tree in the hopes that a squirrel would fall into his mouth and more than once chased a bear up a tree.! Last winter he spent a month outside every day staring at a hole in the ground waiting for a groundhog to emerge! His patience is boundless!

A walk in the country with Shadow is always an eye-opening experience!

Shadow’s walks are the apex of his happiness and we are fortunate in that we live where we can walk him off-leash in the woods and countryside. For every 1 km we walk, Shadow covers about 10, periodically checking back on us. We have discovered wild turkeys and gigantic Bucks thundering past us with Shadow in hot pursuit!

I have dozens of Shadow-stories and my advice to anyone considering adopting a dog would be to NEVER overlook one because he or she is black! Shadow has enriched our lives and showed us the love we have inside of ourselves. He has made every day enjoyable and entertaining. We are grateful that he chose us and feel lucky that Fate or God put us in his path.

I believe there are many “Shadows” out there waiting to choose their families and I admire those people for the experience they will embark upon when they do connect. When the right dog finds you, you will never regret it if you can give to them even a fraction of what they are dying to give to you. The rewards are limitless depending on you.

written by Shadow’s owners, Jocelyn Allan and Chris Keck

Dozens of colourfully patterned knitted blankets are piled upon a table in the Community Room at The Waverley, one of the premiere retirement communities on Wilkes Avenue in Winnipeg. Each Monday, the Waverley knitters meet to share their stories, time and talent for a good cause.

Last Monday, I joined Bill McDonald to meet the Waverley knitters and to say thank you for all of the blankets these ladies have knitted for the cats at The WHS. Over the years they have literally knitted hundreds of comfy blankets for our furry friends at the shelter. They are one terrific group of ladies who like to laugh and share a “yarn or two” about their past experiences.

One member of this steady-handed group of seven, Doris Birt (third from right, seated), had not made a stitch for about twenty years until she took up residence at The Waverley. That all changed when she found out what some of the other ladies were up to at the retirement community. Like her companions, Doris enjoys all the fun and likes knitting blankets for the cats at the shelter.

As I rounded the table, I heard from Marjorie Abbott. Marjorie is responsible for getting this talented and productive group of ladies organized. She’s been knitting cat blankets for The WHS since 2001. She gave me a quick history of how the group came to be.

“We were knitting baby blankets before,” says Marjorie (second from right), but then a friend of mine suggested that I should knit cat blankets out of all the left over bits of yarn. We’ve been knitting cat blankets ever since and we’ve even been to the shelter to visit the cats. It’s nice to see them all enjoying our handiwork.”

At 10 years, Marjorie holds the title of knitting cat blankets the longest of anyone in the group. She likes to choose bright colours for her blankets because someone once told her, “cats like lots of colour.”

Bill McDonald, CEO of The Winnipeg Humane Society, his dog, Cassidy, and I, visited this special group of ladies on December 12, to offer a special thank you and have a few photos taken. The visit even made the front page of The Sou’wester!

These wonderful ladies are so resourceful that they sometimes contribute their own money to buy yarn when their supply gets low. In the past, they’ve also accepted donations of yarn from The Waverley and The WHS. Their enthusiasm and charm has not been lost on all the grateful cats and staff at The WHS. Many a cat has curled up and taken a nap on Waverley-knitted blankets.

Thank you Waverley knitters, and keep up the excellent work! For ten years you’ve helped keep our cats “purr-fectly” comfortable. We hope you’ll be knitting cat blankets for many years to come!

Written by Greg Berg, Community Outreach Coordinator

If you would like to contribute to the Waverley knitters handiwork and supply this lovely group of ladies with some yarn, call 982-2035.

That’s why when Dwarf Hamsters, Rosie, Faja and their newborn litter were brought into the shelter (after being dumped in front of Animal Services on Logan Ave), I found myself wanting to foster them. Faja, the male, was separated from the litter almost immediately. While male hamsters can make excellent fathers, they can also re-impregnate their mates almost immediately. So for the sake of Rosie’s health, Faja was given his own cage to live in.

Darwin

When the babies were three days old, I took them and Rosie home with me. I wanted to give Rosie a quiet and calm place to raise her young where she wouldn’t be stressed out. As a (I assume) first time mother, she was very paranoid about her babies and tried very hard to keep them hidden and safe. One day, she actually managed to get the door of her cage open. She took one of her babies and hid under my dresser. It took a while to get her and her baby out from under there, especially since it is very dangerous to touch a baby hamster before it is two weeks old (the mother could become confused and either turn it out of the nest of cannibalize it). Long story short, the baby had to be coaxed to crawl onto a spoon so we could get it out safely. Rosie was not too happy with anyone after that, but she was glad to have her baby returned safely. Like I said, she was very protective.

Six out of her seven babies made it through their first month of life. Her six surviving babies each developed their own unique personality:

There’s Darwin, the leader of the pack who was the cutest baby. He has a white bum with grey polka dots and while he’s small in stature, he’s big in attitude and personality.

Lola

Then there’s Lola, the lead female who loves to play with her siblings and snack on pieces of grapes and broccoli.

There’s her twin brother Flash who is one of the fastest little guys I’ve encountered in a long time. He’s a real sweet heart and likes to explore your arms and hands (if you can catch him!).

There is the other set of twins, Gabby & Button, who are both lovers, not fighters and are very extroverted. They enjoy being held and also enjoy long, happy naps in their fluffy beds.

Finally, there’s Little One, the runt. She’s the most outgoing of them all, and while the other babies were unsure if they wanted to go near the ‘hand in the cage’, Little One just climbed right into my palm and looked at me as if to say, “Where are we going?”

Soon, they were leaving the nest on their own and running about. They were curious and very, very hungry. Poor Rosie was exhausted and spent a lot of her time nursing. I would give her bits of egg and she would just wolf them down. Finally the demands of her babies were just too much for Rosie and I had to separate her from her young. Her six little hammies were eating solid food and drinking from the water bottle by then, so they were in no danger of starving. Rosie, thankful for the peace and quiet, didn’t leave her nest for about three days.

Finally, when the babies were one month old, they returned to the shelter in hopes of finding their forever homes. The hardest part of being a ‘foster parent’ is returning the ‘foster babies.’ But now is their time to go forward and find their new pet parents. With a bit of luck, all of my foster babies will find their happily-ever-after.

By Lindsey Childs

For more information on the Dwarf Hamsters, call 982-2035.

For more information on fostering, call 982-2049.

I talked gently to the cat, put a blanket over the trap to calm it down and immediately drove off to The WHS. It was a long drive, but the blanket helped to keep the cat calm and quiet throughout most of the ride. I took a little peek at it when I stopped at a light and saw it sitting curled up in a corner. I periodically would talk to it to make sure it was ok, and I’d get a little string of mews back.  Upon arrival at The WHS, the intake staff told me the cat was a little girl, and wasn’t a wild cat. But she didn’t have a tattoo. She was small, and so pretty with shades of brown and white in her striped fur. The WHS staff took her away to begin the intake process, and my job was done.  As I drove away from The WHS, my eyes filled with tears for the scared little kitty. Is she healthy? Will she find a good home? Does she have owners, and if so, why did they let her wander around on the dangerous streets every day?

I own two cats, a boy and a girl, who I adopted from The WHS. I am very tuned into noticing other cats I see wandering around outside, or sitting out in their owners’ yards. My heart is so concerned for cats as I do not want to see any suffer. I always think “what if that wandering creature was my cat?” Truthfully, it probably was one of my cats at one time, as one was a stray. The other was born at WHS. I took them in to give them good homes and I love them more than they can understand. I never want to see harm come to them.

I have to implore all cat owners out there – take responsibility for your pets! If you own a cat, do not let them roam around the neighborhood! If you care for your pet, why would you want to risk them getting hit by a car, getting into a fight with another animal, getting sick or getting lost forever? If you own a cat, make sure that your pet is fixed, so that more litters aren’t added to the streets. Finally, if you own a cat, make sure they have a tattoo or a chip so that when a compassionate person like me catches your pet, he or she can be returned to you!

It broke my heart this morning thinking about this cat and I truly don’t want to see any other cats without homes wandering around my neighborhood. All animals are gifts and deserve to have good lives and forever homes.

I hope the little girl finds a good forever home and I’ll be looking forward to following up on her in the next few days.

By Candace Weselowski

Well, it’s the end of summer holidays, and as the days get shorter and the last day of Daycamp has come and gone, I can’t help but feel a little sad. It has been somewhat of a bittersweet ending: bitter because it’s over, but sweet because it’s been a wonderful experience! When The WHS campers walk in through the classroom doors, they are buzzing with excitement. Whether they run straight towards the markers, papers and the board games (such as Cat-Opoly, Dog-Opoly, and any other kind of –Opoly you can think of), or take a little while to warm up to their surroundings, they know that we have a great day in store for them!

Getting lots of animal interaction is not the only thing that makes The WHS Daycamp special; it’s also everything we do in between. Ranging from cool crafts like cat grass pots, rock animals, decorating bandanas and mugs, friendship bracelets, and tie-dye T-shirts (I’ve made each of these crafts for myself, because I couldn’t help my inner-child), to awesome activities like Amazing Race, Price Your Pet and Water Games, I can’t even decide which one is a personal favorite. To end an amazing weeklong camp, we always have a Friday party with lots of snacks and freezies. Now, who wouldn’t love to be a WHS camper? I’ve personally enjoyed each and every activity of those, if I do say so myself.

From all of the day camp weeks, nothing is quite like pre-paws for the little 4-6 year olds. We have them for only three days in total, and they are simply the cherry on top of a fantastic summer. They would come up to me, with a look of complete bewilderment on their faces, and ask me with high pitched voices, “We can actually, like, pet the animals?…Like, touch their fur?” Instinctively, I can’t help but smile and say, “Of course you can, silly! What else would you do here if you weren’t allowed?” After they get over the shock of it, that’s when they’re so eager to go to “The cat comBos, where all the cats are spRayed and neutRal!” Translation: the Cat Condos, where all the cats are spayed and neutered. So, we bundle them up in the little yellow aprons, and off to the cat combos we go!

Being one of the four Daycamp counsellors at The WHS, I can assure you, it’s no easy job! There are some, let’s call them “qualifications” or ”abilities” you must possess. For one, you must be accustomed to hearing your name being called 76 times, within the span of 20 seconds. Also, you must always walk with Band-Aids, and you must be able to tie and/or untie 6 different aprons in less than 10 seconds. You must be able to listen and respond to 8 different stories being told at the same time, and last but not least, you must magically be able to control the mind of an animal to make them feel like visiting with the kids. Well, maybe not so much of the last one, but it would sure be a bonus!

At the end of the day, in closing circle, we get them to say what they’ve learned from their very busy day at The WHS camp. It never ceases to amaze me just how much information the kids can absorb, and all the new and exciting information they take home. For us counsellors, after a crazy day of camp full of cat fur, doggy slobber, laughter, silliness, board games, and yes, even time-out warnings, when those kids walk out the door, we are proud to know that we are helping build a new generation of responsible pet owners. It’s been a great summer, and I can’t wait to do it all over again!

The WalkyDog® – $85.99

Too often in the summer, I see pet owners wrap their dog’s leash around their hand and set out for a bike ride. Although this is a great way for you and your pet to get exercise, your dog can easily veer off course, pull your hand off the handlebars and potentially cause injury to you and your dog.

The WalkyDog® bike leash is an attachment for your bike so that you and your best four-legged friend can safely bike together. Once the clamp is installed on your bike, the WalkyDog® attaches in seconds and you’re ready to go. The springs inside the attachment help to reduce any pulling or tugging from your dog and your hands are free to steer the bike.

It’s especially important to know your dog when considering a new activity. My beloved dog Nash is a great walking partner (as long as there are no skateboarders around), but bikes are not his thing! There are staff members at The WHS, however, who love biking with their dogs and find that it’s a great way to burn off excess energy. Do some test runs before planning any extensive biking adventures and you’ll have a better sense of what you and your dog can handle.

I love seeing people out exercising with their dogs and finding creative ways to do it, but safety should always come first. Be sure to give your dog breaks and bring water for both of you on your bike ride. Enjoy!

Eyenimal Pet Video Camera – $139.99

This product gives you a chance to see the world from your pet’s point of view. The Eyenimal Pet Video Camera is super light at just 35g and it attaches to any standard cat or dog collar. The camera can record for up to 2.5 hours and even includes sound.  Once you’re done recording, you can connect the camera to your computer and watch the footage unfold.

Take your pet out for a walk and hit record. You’ll have a completely different sense of what it is your pet sees and how different the journey is from a few feet off of the ground. The great thing about this camera is that it can be used in wet and humid conditions so don’t let a damp day keep you away!

It’s easy to forget that our pets experience the world in a totally different way than we do. We often don’t realize that we speak too harshly to our pets or don’t take into account things in their environment that cause them stress. I would to use this camera for my small dog Jeanie because I think that it would give me an entirely new appreciation for her confidence with big dogs.

If you want to see the Eyenimal in action at the dog park, visit DOGTEK’s YouTube channel.

Drop by The WHS Gift Shop to see these and other great products for you and your active dog!

By Ainsley Mitchell, WHS Communications Intern

The malls, the movie theaters – basically any air conditioned building – are packed full of people looking to cool off.  Everywhere you turn, people are complaining about how hot it is and how uncomfortable they are.  I went to an old-fashioned drive-in for dinner the other night, and people would hardly venture out of their cars to pick up their order for fear of leaving their air conditioned environment.

So if it’s that uncomfortable for humans, why is it that we are still seeing people leaving their pets in their cars while they run into the refreshing coolness of air conditioned buildings? The heat is just as uncomfortable for animals as it is for you – maybe worse!

Consider the fact that it’s been over 30 degrees consistently for days now.  With the humidity, it feels like it’s in the 40s.  There is no relief from the heavy, thick air. If you are one of the unfortunate folks without air conditioning in your car, like me, then you know that opening your window offers no relief whatsoever.

A hot car is no place for your pet! Remember, if it's hot for you, it's hot for your pet.

Again I ask, why are people leaving their pets in their cars? We hear this year, after year, after year. And still, people don’t get it! It seems like such a simple thing to understand. Opening the window a crack won’t do a thing to help those animals stay cool.  In only a few minutes, your car will reach temperatures in excess of 50 degrees, turning your car into an oven.  Our pets have no way to cool themselves off, as cats and dogs cannot sweat as humans do.  All they can do is pant and dispel heat through the pads of their feet, and that is simply not enough. They cannot fan themselves, they cannot open the door to let themselves out, and they cannot open a bottle of water to drink or pour on their heads. They are helpless! They rely 100% on their owners to take care of them.

Our pets are our companions, our friends. Why would a pet owner risk heatstroke, brain damage and even death to their furry friend? If anyone thinks that being in a sweltering car for 15 minutes with the window rolled down a crack is enough to keep cool, I challenge them to try sitting in that car themselves first.

Under NO circumstances should pets ever be left alone in a vehicle – no matter what season it is. If you have to go out somewhere, leave your pet at home in a comfortable environment. It may only be 15 minutes for you, but for them, it becomes a matter of life and death.

If you spot a vehicle with an animal inside of it, and no owner around, I strongly advise you to take note of the vehicle license plate and head into the building that the vehicle is parked near. Try to get an announcement made over the intercom to find the owner, or let management know. If the owner does not return within a few minutes, call The WHS Emergency line (982-2020) or the police (911).

If you’re a pet owner, please don’t ever leave your furry friend alone in a vehicle for any length of time. If you see an animal in a car with nobody around, please don’t just walk away. Do something! When an animal suffers an injury or death in a hot vehicle, it’s a tragedy and it’s preventable. Let’s make sure no animals are hurt or killed because they’ve been left alone in vehicles. Let’s make sure people get this message this time!

By Candace Weselowski, WHS Volunteer