The Pawsitive Press T he Vo lu n tee r and Fo ste r Ne wsle t te r

f o r G re enh i l l Hu mane So c ie ty an d 1 s t Aven ue She l te r

Greenhill Humane Society

1st Avenue Shelter

Volunteer Department Amy Harris, Manager Lauren Eshom, Assistant Phone: 541-844-8824 Volunteer@green-hill.org

Foster Care Department Kristi Chizacky, Manager Samantha Maumary, Assist. Phone: 541-689-1503 ext. 114 or 116 Foster@green-hill.org

Inside this issue:

Volunteer of the Month 2

Meet the Staff 2

On Good Behavior 3

Foster Focus 4

Foster of the Month 4

Speaking Out Fur the Animals 5

September 2016

Volume 2, Issue 9

How do adoptions work? By Hannah Westling, Customer Service Manager / 1st Avenue Shelter

Here at Greenhill Humane Society and 1st

Avenue Shelter, we work together to find

homeless pets new loving homes. Sometimes,

the process of adopting can seem overwhelm-

ing and confusing. Where do I start? How do I

know when a pet is available? What is re-

quired for adoption? How much is the fee?

These are all questions we hear and hope to

answer.

Although GHS and FAS are both adoption

facilities, we receive our animals in different

ways which impacts the process of when they

become available. Greenhill primarily takes in

owner surrendered animals. Because of this,

we do not post animals that are not available

for adoption on the website. First Avenue

however, takes in strays from the City of Eu-

gene, unincorporated Lane County and other

contracted agencies. As soon as the animals

arrive, staff posts them on our website and

Craigslist in hopes that an owner will come

forward.

We keep them on the website as “not yet

available” until their status changes and

they’re ready to go home. Sometimes this pro-

cess can take a while. We are required to wait

a stray hold of 3-5 days before we can spay or

neuter any animal. After that time, we sched-

ule them for surgery and perform behavioral

assessments. Once we’ve completed all of that,

they’re ready to go home! Adopters are wel-

come to call us each evening around 5/5:30 to

see who will be available the following morn-

ing! You won’t bother us, we love hearing

from you!

Both GHS and FAS adoptions are on a “first

come first serve” basis for everyone. Being the

first one lined up at the door, is the best way

to get first crack at adopting. But don’t worry

if you’re 2nd or 3rd, we take up to 3 holds per

animal and sometimes holds fall through, so

it’s worth sticking around!

Once you’re ready to adopt, you’ll fill out an

application and meet with one of our adoption

counselors. They will introduce you to the pet

you’re interested in and guide you through

making a great match. We’ll want everyone in

your house to feel good about it, so we ask

that your family or roommates come down to

meet the pet as well. If you’re adopting a dog

and already have a canine friend at home, we

will ask for a dog-to-dog introduction.

If you rent, we’ll want to make sure your

landlord is ok with your pet. We’ll gladly chat

with them over the phone, by email, or accept

a letter. Can’t do it all in one go? No worries!

We offer 24-hour holds! In order to place an

animal on hold, you must submit an applica-

tion and have it reviewed by a staff member.

Holds can only be placed once an animal is

available for adoption. We don’t accept holds

prior to availability. We also ask for a $25 hold

which goes towards the adoption fee.

Adoption fees are on a sliding scale:

For dogs it is based on the age and size of the

ADOPTIONS, continued on page 5

The Pawsitive Press Page 2

Peggy M.

them while I'm working. A bit about your back-ground.. I was born in Day-ton, Ohio but have lived in Oregon for over 20 years. I recently moved back to Eu-gene from Santa Barbara, CA where I worked in Hu-man Resources at the Muse-

Name: Debra Nordyke What do you do? I'm the Business Manager. How long have you worked at Greenhill? I started working at Greenhill this past June so I've been here a little over two months. What’s your favorite part of your job? Working for an organization whose mission I truly believe in. I love ani-mals and consider myself very lucky to have found a job where I can be around

um of Natural History. What are your hobbies? I love plants and enjoy work-ing in my yard evenings and weekends. I also love refurbishing old furniture and redecorating. I am su-per thrifty so most week-ends you will find me at estate sales and garage sales. Do you have any pets? I have one cat named Ingrid. I adopted her last year from Greenhill.

Meet the Staff!

Tinkerbell and Christina B.

One of my first experi-ences walking the dogs was pretty embarrass-ing. The outer kennel was closed for cleaning and I had a “frisky” dog to return to his kennel. Of course half of Eugene was in there looking for a dog which made both the dog & I pretty anxious. My eyes set on the curtain, sure that this dog’s kennel was behind that curtain, back where it was quiet. Ryan came to my rescue and helped me get the dog where he belonged (for the moment) and of course it was in front of the cur-tain. I was born in Illinois, moved to Wisconsin when I was 10, joined the Air Force, travelled the world, and retired. I’m still a fed-eral employee and enjoy travelling. I moved to Eu-gene a little over 2 years ago.”

“I’m a dog walker at both Greenhill and First Avenue Shelter and I don’t volunteer anywhere else. I love getting a chance to spend time with the dogs. The staff is all fantastic, always taking time to answer ques-tions and offer explana-tions. It has been said that dogs live in the moment and it makes me feel good that I can give them some mo-ments of doing one of the things dogs love to do, walk. I love to give them a chance to get out of their kennels and feel the grass under their feet, breathe some fresh air, snack on grass and blackber-ries. It’s a nice break in their routine. Sometimes I don’t feel like going in but once I’m there I never want to leave. It’s a time I feel truly happy. When I’m not walking shel-ter dogs, I’m walking my dog

Dixie or playing with my cats, Peek-a-Boo and Storm. I en-joy travel, reading and mov-ies. I’d also like to get on my bicycle one of these days. I’ve learned to love all the dogs, to not just walk them but to pet them like they’re special, give them belly rubs and scratch behind their ears. Before I started walking the dogs I wasn’t keen on small dogs but when I first started I was only comfortable with the little ones. Now I love them all.

Volunteer of the Month: Alice Defries

What’s your favorite book and /or movie? I've read too many books and seen too many movies to name a favorite. As a child though I couldn't read Charlotte's Web enough. I still have the

book my mom gave me. What is something no-body knows about you? Well now, few know this but not many...I carry my cat around my backyard in a baby sling!! She loves it and it allows us some quality time together!

Page 3 Volume 2, Issue 9

By Micaela Frank, Behavior Program Coordinator, CPDT-KA

The Volunteer Department and the Be-

havior Department have teamed up to

create an exciting new program for all

new volunteers coming in to work with

the dogs at 1st Avenue. After months of

planning, we have rolled it out, and want

to share the news with you all. Here are

the details:

What’s the program called? The new

program is called the Dog Enrichment Pro-

gram.

What does the training look like? The

Dog Enrichment Program will replace the

Dog Walker Program. Any new dog volun-

teers coming in to 1st Avenue will first go

through the Behavior Modification and

Enrichment Training, where they will learn

how to reinforce desirable behaviors and

teach the dogs basic skills. They will come

out and do a few shifts to practice these

new skills. They will then have the option

to go through a Dog Exercise and Handling

Training to learn how to handle the dogs

outside of their kennels using their new

skills.

Will this new program replace the

Bmod Program? No. The new program

will teach everyone basic bmod skills. Vol-

unteers who are still very interested in the

training aspect of working with the dogs

can build their skills by attending Focus

Sessions on different topics like loose

leash walking and appropriate toy play.

What are the goals of the new pro-

gram?

- Consistency. Consistency is very im-

portant for the dogs and consistent han-

dling is how they learn best. The new pro-

gram will help all volunteers who handle

the dogs be on the same page.

-Safety. We want to keep the shelter as

safe a place as possible. Knowing how to

read dog body language and what to do if

a dog exhibits certain behaviors will be a

huge component of the new program.

-Adoptability. Knowing how to reinforce

behaviors that promote adoptability –

while not reinforcing behaviors that do

not – only helps the dogs succeed in their

new adoptive homes. Exercise is hugely

important for reducing stress in shelter

dogs, but there are lots of other things

that can be done as well. Exercise plus

some mental stimulation in the form of

training games can make for one happy,

tired dog.

Will all volunteers need to attend the

new training? We won’t be asking volun-

teers who have been with us for a while

to go through the new trainings, but we

do encourage it. We have a fantastic

group of experienced volunteers who will

be participating in training the Dog Exer-

cise and Handling Training for new folks.

Is this program at both shelters? This is

a pilot program at 1st Avenue, but we do

hope to extend it to Greenhill in the fu-

ture.

If you are interested in being part of the

action, contact the Volunteer Department

for ways you can be involved!

On Good Behavior New Volunteer Program rolling out at 1st Ave

Volunteering

here has really

showed me that, alt-

hough these dogs

and cats are home-

less and waiting for

their forever homes,

they're waiting for

them in a loving

place where the

staff and volunteers

genuinely care and

love them. –

Ruth B., volunteer

“

”

Peek-a-boo!

Roland, Natasha and Khan

by: Katie L.

Juno by: Melissa O.

The Pawsitive Press Page 4

Foster Focus

thing led to another and the

very next day I was in orienta-

tion for the Foster Program! I

decided I would be doing a

better service to foster many

kittens in need rather than

adopting another one.”

Melissa says, “The best part

of fostering, for me, is that I’m

getting to experience some

kitten time It’s fun to help

socialize these babies with lots

of cuddles and play time. The

kitten days are so precious and

go by so fast and I have been

enjoying watching my foster

litter

grow and

become

more

inde-

pendent

each day.”

When Melissa isn’t getting

in kitten cuddle time, she

enjoys baking sweets and

trying out new recipes. She

also enjoys her weekend

shift as a cattery companion

at the Green Hill location!

We are so happy to have

Meet Melis-

sa Overton,

our Foster

of the

Month for

September.

Melissa

started fos-

tering with us mid June of this

year. She originally was in the

market for a new loving fur

baby but, realized that she

could volunteer in the Cattery!

She signed up for volunteer

training and while she was at

the training she said, “One

Foster of the Month: Melissa Overton

you on both the foster AND

volunteer teams!

Melissa loves fostering be-

cause it’s so much fun to meet

new animals and know what

you are doing is benefiting the

animal, your community and

also your

own heart.

“Its’s very

fulfilling!”

Have you ever thought about fostering

and wanted to learn more? Check out

some of our most frequently asked

questions about fostering!

Can I be a foster parent?

We encourage individual s and families

alike to become foster parents! The pri-

mary foster parent in every home must

be at least 19 years old, but younger

family members are also encouraged to

take an active role in helping to care for

the foster animals.

If you rent your property, you’ll need

landlord approval for the types of ani-

mals you want to foster.

Flexible schedules and reliable trans-

portation to Greenhill are important. We

will need to arrange regular follow-up

appointments and be able to see your

animal for immediate medical care if

necessary.

If you have other animals, they must all

be current on their vaccinations. Addi-

tionally, depending on the animals you

are fostering, you may be required to

keep fosters separate from your own

animals.

What types of animals go into foster?

A lot of kittens and puppies! We also

send adult animals to foster for surgery

recovery, stress relief, behavior modifi-

cation, and other reasons.

How long will each animal stay in my

home?

Kittens and puppies typically stay for

about 2-4 weeks, though unweaned ani-

mals may stay longer. For adult animals

recovering from surgery or seeking

stress relief, the stay can vary from a

couple of weeks to several months de-

pending on the animal’s needs.

Why should I foster?

Becoming a foster offers the rewarding

experience of giving an animal a second

chance. In addition, fostering is a great

way to gain experience caring for ani-

mals. For those who are unable to house

an animal long-term or are not looking

to add another permanent pet to their

family, fostering is a great way to get

your animal fix with short-term foster

stays. And most of all, by fostering,

you’re helping to save lives!

So how do I get started?

The first step is to fill out the online fos-

ter application under the foster care link

at www.green-hill.org. Once we receive

your application, we will call you to dis-

cuss some more information and set up

a one-on-one in-person meeting. At the

meeting, we’ll discuss important infor-

mation about caring for your foster ani-

mals. After that, wait for the call! We

will call you when we have animals in

need of a foster home. If you have any

questions about fostering, please give

us a call at 541-689-1503 ext. 114!

Page 5 Volume 2, Issue 9

Paw Print

Personals!

Sweet and smart male looking

for a home where I can play

outside and get lots of love!

Come meet me at Greenhill!

Diesel

Handsome and loving male

seeking the right forever home

that will give me head scratches!

Come visit me at 1st Ave!

Ronaldo!

Friendly and outgoing snake

hoping for a family that will let

me just hang around as they go

about their day! Come say hi at

1st Ave.!

Ekans!

Speaking Out Fur the Animals By Lauren Merge, Communications and Events Manager, Greenhill / 1st Ave. I can’t believe summer is basically over al-ready. It really flew by, although I think my dogs and I are still reeling from this heat wave. Now that we’re coming into fall, here’s a quick go-to guide for some of our upcoming events. If you want to help out at any of these, please contact the Volunteer Department. Petco events: The first Saturday of every month (unless something comes up), we’re at the Eugene Petco with an adoptable dog…and the first Sunday, we’re at the Springfield Petco! Big Tree Beer & Cider Fest – 9/16 & 9/17: The Lane Events Center is putting on their first beer and cider fest, and the animals at Greenhill Hu-mane Society and 1st Avenue Shelter are the beneficiaries! $5 of every ticket will be donated to help homeless pets in our care. Pet Fest – 9/17: We’ll be at Lively Park in Springfield to celebrate all things pet with Willamalane Park and Recreation district. There will be educational sessions, demonstra-tions, prize drawings, and Spot Magazine will be

on the lookout for their next cover model! City of Eugene Adoption Event – 9/24: The City is hosting an adoption event at the Alton Baker Dog Park. We’ll be there having fun and hopefully finding some pups a home! South University Sunday Streets – 9/25: Join thousands of people for a fun celebration of Eugene’s University neighborhood. We’ll be there with an adoptable dog spreading the word about our work in the community. Ninkasi Pints for a Cause – 10/21: $1 from every pint helps homeless pets – plus it’s a blast! We’ll have live music and dogs to snuggle… and Ninkasi has beer to drink, so this event is a win win! ART FOR ANIMALS – 11/11: Our second largest fundraiser of the year, Art for Animals is a live and silent art auction to benefit the pets in our shelters. This event is quite the soiree, and takes places at Ninkasi’s Admin Building. Keep an eye out for the volunteer request – we need a lot of help to pull of this major event! We look forward to seeing you at our events this fall!

dog. Senior dogs (7yrs+) are $85, Large-

Medium dogs (1-7yrs and 26lbs+) are $150,

Small dogs (1-7yrs and under 25lbs) are

$165, Puppies (under 1yr) are $250. On occa-

sion we will have certain dogs that are highly

desirable. We will make these dogs “Hero

Dogs” whose adoption fees are $325. Their

increased adoption fee helps offset the cost

for specialized treatment of other animals in

our care.

For cats it is all based on age. Senior cats

(10yrs+) are $55, mature cats (7yrs-9yrs) are

$65, Adults (6mo-6yrs) are $75 and Kittens

(under 6 months) are $100.

We also offer those who are 60 and older a

$50 discount on all cats and on dogs 3 years

or older. All we need from you is a photo with

the adopter and their new furry friend!

Now that you’ve met your new pet, been

approved for adoption and are ready to go;

Customer Service Staff will walk you through

all the benefits of adopting.

All adoptions include the following:

-All of our pets are spayed or neutered prior

to adoption.

-Our cats and dogs are treated for fleas and

dewormed.

-All of our pets are microchipped, and regis-

tered with your information through 24hr

Petwatch (excluding small animals like ham-

sters, rats, and guinea pigs).

-For dogs, you will receive a Lane County or

City of Eugene license, good for one year, if

applicable.

-Cats are tested for FIV/FeLV, if applicable.

-Recommended vaccinations.

-A free vet exam with participating veterinari-

ans.

-A collar and ID tag /leash or carrier, as appli-

cable.

Finally, it’s time to take your new best friend

home. We are so glad that you have chosen a

shelter animal and wish you and your new

family a life of love, snuggles and adventures

together!

ADOPTIONS, from page 1

The Pawsitive Press Page 6

It is a lot of

fun to experience

caring for a varie-

ty of cats, all

with different

stories and per-

sonalities.

- Ayla & Ian,

fosters

“

”

Laurel H. and Arrow

Dudley( formerly Brave)

Happy Tails!

Little Bit

Happy Tails!

Jax (formally Obsidian)

Happy Tails!

New name is Jax. He is doing great and

fitting right in. We still have two kittens in

the house and he loves them & does not try

to get them. We took him to the vet. He had

kennel cough & he is on medication right

now & getting better. Jax does great with

the neighbor kids and our grand kids too.

We have a fenced in yard for him.

Little Bit was shy the first week, but by week two

he was already bossing us around. He is a dad-

dy's boy. He loves our 2 month old grandson. He

does great in the car, is house trained and does

well on leash.

His new name is Dudley. My only complaint is that

he sleeps all day & wants to play at night. He

loves to play & can tell because he gets a look in

his eyes. He loves crumpled up paper & carries it

around in his mouth & chases it. He's an indoor cat

now . I'm watching to see how insistent he is to go

outside. He's a character. He wakes me up at

night by meowing in my face.

Ruth B.