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SURI'S STORY~On the morning of November 14, 2009 as I drove into the shelter parking lot I noticed in the shadow of the front door, a garbage bag (stuffed with blankets that someone had donated). Little did that person know that the blankets not only are needed for the dogs sheltered inside, it likely saved the life of Suri. As I walked closer, I saw a dog lying on top of the soft pile. As she rose and walked towards me, her tail did not wag, she just had a “help me” look. She was a walking skeleton with big soulful eyes.
Parvo is the one word in the shelter world that will strike dread/fear in our hearts so all dogs are vaccinated as soon as they come in as a precaution. When she was given the parvo shot, Suri whined so hard it was difficult to witness but she was so accepting of the different situations she had to endure as she was processed into the shelter system.
If she hadn’t had a soft “bed” to lay on at the front door she might very well have wondered off, perhaps onto the busy road in front of the shelter. The pen that used to be in front of the shelter was disassembled recently because through the years many dogs have climbed out and been injured or killed, run off or even taken. That is why abandonment at the shelter is never acceptable.
Even though she had been neglected, her sweet spirit was intact. In her run down condition it was obvious that the shelter environment was not the place for her to recover so a wonderful foster home was found. She was adopted within 2 months. Suri represents so many of the issues we deal with on a regular basis at the shelter. Some of them are:
Neglect/Apathy~wherever she came from someone had seen her in this condition and did not speak up to help her.
Abandonment~when the animal is abandoned we have no idea of previous vet care, present health issues, temperament, found and someone is looking for them (in limbo for the 7 day hold) or owned but no longer wanted (the search for a forever home can be started immediately).
Foster care~ allows us to know and observe the animal in a home atmosphere as opposed to the shelter where the pet may not respond as they naturally would. It allows extra time they may need to adjust to a new situation or recover. Suri thrived in her foster home and once she was healthy and all vet work done including spayed, she found her forever home. We need more foster homes. Please email jdcasey@hughes.net to find out how you could become a foster family for shelter dogs or cats or how you can help in other ways.
Friends of the Shelter, Inc. engages the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help serve the abandoned or homeless dogs and cats in Benton County. Through your donations, it makes it possible for us to do so much good. The need is never ending but with your help we make a difference, one homeless pet at a time. Written by: Donita Casey
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GreaterGood.org (GGO) is proud to announce that the first 2010″ANIMAL RESCUE SITE $100,000 SHELTER+ CHALLENGE — together with PETFINDER.COM” will grant up to $100,000 USD in support and assistance to select domestic and international animal rescue and welfare organizations.
Simply go to theanimalrescuesite.com and click on the 4th tab on the right hand side labeled “Shelter Challenge”. You only need to have entered United States, and State and Vinton and when you hit “search” the Vinton Animal Shelter will come up for you to vote for.
http://www.vintoneagle.com/article.php?article=2231
Friends of the Shelter, Inc. is a private non profit animal shelter and we also manage the Vinton/Benton Animal Shelter. Some of Friends of the Shelter's adoptable cats are available at the Adoption Center at PetSmart in Waterloo, IA.
Our Adoptable Pet List
Our Adoptable Pet List If you have a pet that you need to relinquish, please contact us ahead of time to see if we have space available. Make sure they are up-to-date on shots (provide proof) and are spayed or neutered. Before calling us to see if we have space available we recommend that you try to find them a home yourself by asking friends and relatives, advertising, contacting rescues, etc. The Vinton/Benton Co. Animal Shelter building is very small and in the past euthanizing for space was routine, something that with your help, by rehoming your own pet, that practice has been eliminated. DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN SEND YOUR TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS TO FRIENDS OF THE SHELTER, INC. THROUGH UNITED WAY? ASK US HOW! Please spay and neuter your pets and encourage others to do the same. Up-to-date vaccinations, regular vet checks, and your companionship and love are a must for a healthy happy family pet. The shelter does not have set open hours but you can call the shelter (319-472-4623) to set up an appointment or email.:
jdcasey@hughes.net This page is dedicated to every Friends of the Shelter volunteer, supporter, and rescue person who has truly made a difference. To the world you may be only one person, but to a shelter animal, you are the world! Our goal is to try to improve the lives of homeless animals and save as many pets as
possible without having to humanely euthanize them. We realize that we can not save all
the homeless, abandoned dogs and cats, but we continually try to do our best. Some of the
animals at the shelter are strays, others are unwanted and have been abandoned while others
are owner surrender because of unfortunate circumstances not their fault while still perfect
in all important ways. We are devoted to the animals, we want to make sure they are placed
in only good homes. Some items in need:
bones, chew toys, cat toys, cat litter, kitten food, blankets, and wash cloths . Thank you for
visiting our web site and your interest in the welfare of shelter animals. Friends of the Shelter, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose purpose
is to help make the homeless animals in Benton County be healthy and safe while we find them forever loving homes through adoptions or rescues. All donations go directly for the welfare of the animals. Some of our expenses are for spaying/neutering (Rebecca Lynn Young Fund for spaying/neutering), medicines for treatable health issues, and other supplies. You can mail your tax-deductible donations to:
From Hwy. 380 – Take the Urbana exit, go towards town, turn left just past the gas station, go through 2 stop signs and head out of town on W26, continue straight on this road for 6 miles. Take a Right on the first paved road (Oak Grove Church is located on this corner) the road is 61st Street but also known as county home road (not marked). Go 6 miles and the Vinton Animal Shelter is on the Right side of the road.
Traveling 218 S or N – Turn on 13th Street going East. Stay on this road for 1 mile out of town and you will see the Vinton Animal Shelter on the North side of the road. Note: if you are going 218 S you will see 13th Street soon after Alco but not past Thiesens. 218 N you will be in a residential area and 13th Street will be a few blocks after the school on your Right.
Hwy 30 W - take county road Hwy W26 towards Shellsburg. Stay on W26 N for 9 miles until you come into Shellsburg. Take the 2nd paved road (after car wash) on your Right, take to first stop sign and take a Right (you will still be traveling W26 N). You will go through 2, 4-way stop signs and continue out of town for 5 miles. Take a left on 61st Street (Oak Grove Church is located on this corner). Drive 6 miles and the Vinton Animal Shelter is on your Right.
WE APPRECIATE ANY OF THESE NEEDED ITEMS THAT ARE DONATED, THANK YOU! Newspapers, bleach or Odo Ban, paper towels, kitty litter, dog leashes (medium and large), Q-tips (to clean cat's ears) and cloth towels for drying bathed dogs. These items can be dropped off at the shelter. Thank you!
Our Featured Pet
Vica
Click to see our lost/hold pets!
Second Featured Pet
Jim Doe
Click to see our lost/hold pets!
Information
Friends of the Shelter, Inc.
P.O. Box 82
Vinton, IA 52349
Contact Us
Volunteers
Friends of the Shelter, Inc.
P.O. Box 82
Vinton, IA 52349
Thank you!
Here's the DIRECTIONS TO THE SHELTER: Do not use MapQuest!
Adopting a friend
ALL ANIMALS ADOPTED ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED.
ADOPTION FEES FOR DOGS/PUPPIES: Adoption fee for 6 months and older, includes: spay/neuter, up to date shots, and heart worm tested~ $100
Adoption fee for puppies includes age appropriate shots~ $90. It is IA state law that the adopter must have the puppy spayed/neutered by the date listed on the contract and proof sent back to the shelter for our files. All of this information is provided at the time of adoption.
ADOPTION FEES FOR CATS/KITTENS: $50.00 for cats already altered, shots up to date and felv/fiv/heartworm tested if 6 months or older
$50.00 adoption fee for a kitten too young to be altered, $10.00 returned to adopter upon proof of spay/neuter received. It is IA state law that the adopter must have the kitten spayed/neutered by the date listed on the contract and proof sent back to the shelter for our files. All of this information is provided at the time of adoption.