Offer Abbey Another Someone to Love

Abbey and her previous person were inseparable and did virtually everything together. They shared a very deep bond filled with mutual love and respect for six long years after Abbey was adopted from the Santa Cruz SPCA. Tragically, Abbey's other half was hit by a car and killed while walking in a crosswalk. Not only did this horrific event leave Abbey without her person, it also left her without a home after attempts to place her by friends and family members failed.

This beautiful 12-year-old Wheaton terrier mix is settling in at the Santa Cruz SPCA, and although she is very obviously grieving, her sweet and calm nature is winning hearts already. You would never guess her age; Abbey is extremely able-bodied and loves to fetch balls and take long walks. She's been through obedience classes and knows basic commands like sit, stay, come and down and walks wonderfully on leash. In the home she's mellow, quiet and completely house-trained. She enjoys lying at your feet, by your side or following you from room to room. This is a seasoned house dog who's smart to boot!

 

The perfect home for this sweetheart would be with a kind and gentle person or an adult family with no small children. She prefers a gentle approach when first greeting, as fast movements by strangers intimidate her. After just a couple seconds her tail begins wagging and she'll give a few kisses for good measure. She seems to tolerate other dogs but doesn't enjoy puppy energy or engaging in play. That being said, we could see her doing OK in a home with another older dog or as an only dog.

Abbey is a healthy girl with no history of major medical issues. Due to her age, she does have a few benign fatty tumors that are very common in older dogs and generally pose no health risks or require any treatment. Although they are not painful, Abbey is a bit sensitive about them being touched as well as some other parts of her body, so it's important that her new person be perceptive and gentle when handling her.

Weighing in at around 30 pounds, Abbey is a medium-sized dog with an extremely soft coat. At this time she has a summer cut and has been shaved relatively short while her face and tail remain longer. She seems to shed very little, but it's not known if she would be considered hypo-allergenic. Her hair will grow out long and fuzzy, so she will require regular grooming.

Abbey has a lot of life and love to give a special person. She's lost a soulmate, but that doesn't mean there isn't another perfect someone out there for her. If you think you may be the one to pick up her pieces, please come meet her!

The SPCA's adoption package for dogs and cats includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, micro-chipping, an ID tag, collar, a free vet exam, one month's free health insurance and other animal care materials.

Consider donating to the nonprofit Santa Cruz SPCA, which receives no government funding. The Second Chance Fund also helps pay for emergency surgical procedures.

Abandoned Dog Finds New Home Helping Combat Veterans

An abandoned 5-year-old cocker spaniel has found a new home and a new purpose in life helping military combat veterans recover from post traumatic stress disorder.

Laddie was adopted recently out of the Santa Cruz SPCA to serve as the house therapy dog at the Paget Center. The 12-bed residential facility helps homeless vets recover from their traumas and transition back into civilian life after serving on the battle field. The gentle, people-pleasing pooch immediately had a positive impact on residents.

"The mood in the house is lighter," said Lino Montes, the manager at Paget Center. "People who were withdrawn are coming out of their shells. They're taking an interest in walking and feeding him. It's amazing to see the transformation."

Laddie languished at the SPCA for months because he doesn't get along with other dogs. But when it comes to humans, he offers nothing but love and support. He has the run of the house at his new home, a large fenced in yard to play in, and has an uncanny knack for detecting when individuals need comfort.

"If he sees you're upset, he puts his head on your lap," Montes said.

The Paget Center is staffed by veterans who have been affected with PTSD, and understand the many challenges combat vets face.

Funded by the Veteran's Administration, the house operates under the auspices of Front Street Inc., a behavioral health agency, and provides 90 days of emergency shelter for homeless vets and a host of services. Along with individual counseling and group therapy, the Paget Center also helps veterans find jobs, housing and provides other services to help them re-engage with society.

The residential facility, which has been operating for 17 months, has a 98 percent success rate in helping veterans get their lives back on track, Montes said. As manager, Montes has the authority to provide any services his residents need.

NEW LEASE ON LIFE

 

When he realized the residents would benefit from a house dog, he contacted Mandi Hart, the assistant manager for the Santa Cruz SPCA and asked her to help. Hart recommended Laddie, who had become a staff and volunteer favorite at the shelter for his people skills, and brought him to the Paget Center for a visit.

Instantly popular, Laddie was adopted a few days later.

"I can't thank Ms. Hart for all the help and support she gave us," Montes said. "Laddie gets all the attention he wants and has a big house to run around in."

With a dozen different beds to sleep on, Laddie also seems to know who needs his company most. One of the residents who has struggled with severe insomnia brought on by PTSD said he was able to sleep through the night for the first time in years after Laddie arrived.

"It's awesome," said Anthony Uzzi. "The first night he was here he slept on my bed. It was the best sleep I've had in years. Having the dog in the room does help me because I'm not constantly listening to sounds. With Laddie, it's an extra set of ears that lets me stay asleep. He's got my back."

Like other residents, Uzzi said just petting Laddie helps reduce his stress. The dog also provides another set of ears for veterans to talk to about their experiences. While there is a 1 to 2 ratio of counselors to residents at the center, and staff members on site 24 hours a day, sometimes the men are more comfortable confiding in the dog.

"You can tell him anything and he's just going to give you that unconditional love," Uzzi said. "It really does help us heal."

Laddie also helps add a homey touch to the residential house.

"This place is about giving back the gift of life," said Kendra Cooley, the center's outreach coordinator. "It's a home, it's a family, it's a safe place and a springboard to the next path."

For a formerly homeless vet who struggled with chronic pain and depression after a traumatic brain injury he incurred while in the military, the center helped him heal, then hired him to help others.

"This place was a Godsend to me," said Ernie Soto. "It gave me back my drive, my desire and a purpose in life."

Hot Dogs! Ten Minutes to Disaster

We understand that many people mean to be kind by bringing their dogs with them as they run errands around town.

But as the summer months are fast approaching, you should be aware that even a mild summer day on the coast can be deadly for an animal left in a parked car.

On just a 78 degree day, the temperature inside a parked vehicle can reach 160 degrees in just a few minutes. Parking your car in the shade or rolling down the windows won’t prevent your pet from getting over-heated.
Be aware of the signs of heat stress:

•Heavy panting
•Glazed eyes
•Rapid pulse
•Unsteadiness
•Staggering gait
•Vomiting
•Deep red or purple tongue

If your animal becomes over-heated, take him/her into the shade or an air conditioned area immediately and apply cool (not cold) water all over their body to gradually lower the body temperature. Apply ice packs to the animal’s head, neck, and chest only. Let him/her drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take your animal to a veterinarian immediately.

Help us keep animals cool and safe this summer!

Contact us for a free packet of flyers to carry with you in your car to help spread the word. Call
(831) 465-5000 or send a SASE to: Santa Cruz SPCA, P.O. Box 3800, Santa Cruz, CA 95063.

SPCA Helps Bring Hope to Hoarding Case Survivors

The faces of more than 100 adult dogs and puppies filled the backyard of a Madera home where they were living amidst their own filth and fighting over scraps of food for survival. The man who owned the home said he started out with four stray dogs and they began to produce litter after litter. According to a Madera County Animal Shelter volunteer, “They were attacking each other every minute because there was no food. There were dogs everywhere you looked, in every corner,
under every step, behind every turn.”

In situations like these, it’s hard not to let anger or judgment
creep in. However, as an organization dedicated to helping animals, the Santa Cruz SPCA put feelings aside and dove headfirst into the effort to save these precious lives. Time was of the essence because if rescues didn’t step in to get dogs out, the county would most certainly confiscate and euthanize them.

Within hours of discovery, a large group of dogs and even a few kittens were in a van headed to the Santa Cruz SPCA. In anticipation of their arrival, urgent foster home pleas were sent to every single person on our email list. Very little was known about body condition or health, but we wanted to be prepared for anything. Minutes after our emails were sent, an overwhelming show of support and foster offers flooded in. We were simply in awe of the level of compassion and willingness to give time, supplies, money and homes in order to aid our rescue efforts and give these animals
a fighting chance.

The animals arrived completely filthy, flea- and worm- infested, and suffering from numerous ailments from skin and eye issues to upper respiratory infections. They were met by a well- oiled group of staff and volunteers that, in minutes, vaccinated, de-wormed and de-flea’d all of the new arrivals. They were then sent to their foster homes with crates, food, and bedding to recoup, recover and relax.
In those foster homes these animals will live life like they’ve never lived before, and learn what it’s like to be truly loved and properly cared for. It will take time to get them well and a little more time
to get them adopted, but it’s clear that these cats and dogs are the survivors that we exist to save.
The value of a foster home, a donation, and even an adoption can be seen and felt in full force during efforts like these. It truly takes a village to “come to the rescue” and every helping hand is vital no matter how large or small. Our appreciation to all of our supporters runs deep, but to the animals, your support truly means life! This is the third hoarding case in two months from which we have saved animals, and it won’t be the last. We are extremely fortunate to have you by our side through it all.

Teacup for Two!

It's tea time! Why not sit down with Pumpkin, Sweet Potato or both? These two adorable 4-month-old teacup Chihuahuas are very loving, affectionate and sweet. Although they are teeny-tiny, barely 3 pounds, they will bring big love into someone's life.

These two were part of a litter of four that came to the Santa Cruz SPCA with their mom at only 4 weeks old as an unwanted litter. Pumpkin and Sweet Potato are the last two of the group and have literally grown up in a shelter. Although they have been loved by volunteers and staff, been given all of their vaccinations, and been properly socialized with other dogs and kitties, they are in dire need of a real home with a lifelong family of their own.

Sweet Potato is a little boy who is the more confident of the two. He is curious and bold and has the "take-charge" approach to life. He's playful with other dogs, loves his toys, and has the most adorable little upright ears and bright eyes. Pumpkin is a little girl who is a tad more submissive and shy. She is definitely the cuddle bug of the two and will follow a person around until she can figure out a way to wiggle into your lap, arms or clothing! She loves to be carried around and doted on, and although she's shy she will be the first to scurry over to beg you to pick her up.

These siblings are available to be adopted together or separately. They are so sweet with each other and spend hours playing, cuddling and cleaning each other. Even if they don't go together, we are confident that they will adjust to life with other dogs or human family members just fine. They would do great with other small to medium dogs or gentle larger dogs, as well as cats. We don't recommend that they go to a home with small children because their size makes them more delicate and they can be more easily injured.

Call the Santa Cruz SPCA at 465-5000, or visit www.santacruzspca.org. The SPCA, at 2685 Chanticleer Ave., is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The SPCA Mall Adoption Center and Gift Shop is at the Capitola Mall near Target and is open on Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.