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TLC Animal Shelter Canine Center
TLC Animal Shelter Canine Center
Located at North Fulton and Chaney in Newell, Iowa. Mail may be sent to this address or to Box 373, Newell, Iowa 50568 . Due to the nature of our work, communicating by telephone is sometimes difficult. Thanks to e mail, we can stay in touch at odd hours., so e mail is our preferred mode of communication.....send e mail to plarsen@rconnect.com.
We love visitors, but since we are a totally volunteer organization, it is important to schedule an appointment rather than just dropping in at the Center. If you are interested in one of our furbabies, please contact us by e mail, and we will send you (via e-mail) our basic questionnaire which is the first step in our adoption process. If you choose to proceed, we will have an associate in your area contact you, and set up a convenient time to visit with you about a TLC adoption. Once approved, a convenient time will be scheduled for you to come spend some time with your pawtential adoptee. Hopefully, you will be returning home with a new addition to your family and home.
Pet of the Month
Our pet of the month is Mugsy. Mugsy is a wonderful adult Boston Terrier who is definitely people oriented. He can be a very mellow, quiet guy, or he can be rather energetic, especially when he sees his leash and knows he is going for a walk. He is certainly not the most handsome Boston, but he is a wonderful dog. He was abused by his former caregiver and has a broken tail to prove it, and he can be leary of new people for a little bit, but once he trusts, he simply accepts things as they are. He loves long walks and being snuggled, but he can also entertain himself and be happy. He is definitely a smart fellow who learns quickly. He would be a wonderful companion in a home where he can be the center of attention . And a fenced yard with room to safely run and play would be super.
News
. UNSEEN THEY SUFFER AND DIE
Recently the TLC Canine Center assisted with the rescue of 15 dogs from a frightful place housing an irresponsible breeding operation.
The horror of rescuing these Chihuahuas, Boston terrers, and "Designer Dogs" is indescribable. If I had not seen it, I would not have believed it. Some dogs were trapped in filthy wire cages hung from the ceilings, while others ran loose in the weeds and trash. There was no supply of fresh food or water to be found anywhere. They were terrified of us because they have never experienced human kindness. All of them were infested with fleas, and worms. Many of them have major heartworm infections. The rescued dogs now have a chance at a decent life, but the big picture has not changed since the caregiver refused to relinquish all the dogs. The little ones that were left behind will continue the irresponsible breeding. Even more discouraging is the sad fact that this is not an isolated incident. We urge all of you to do some research on puppy mills, pet stores, and irresponsible breeders, and get involved. It is the right thing to do!
HEARTBEAT MUSIC THERAPY FOR DOGS
Many of the dogs brought to the TLC are frightened and lonely. Some have been neglected or abused. Others are just confused by a strange new place with new faces, new sounds, new smells. There is nothing familiar. With no voice and no choice in their own future, they are totally dependent upon the humans who care for them. At the TLC, we believe that kindness, gentleness, and patience can work wonders on almost all dogs. We are continually looking for ways to make life more pleasant for the furbabies, and we are bombarded with products and ideas that promise to solve just about any problem imaginable. Most of these "quick fixes" I label "snake oil". I have a shelf full of "snake oil" products that have been ineffective. I have several shelves full of books on "how to cure any behavior problem imaginable." Most of them are "snake oil"; some contain at least a few good ideas, and once in a while there is a real winner. We play clasical music throughout the entire shelter. We truly believe it calms the dogs. I discussed this with a well known Veterinary animal behaviorist , and she said there was no documentation to support that. Okay. I still believe it helps. Then I discovered how specific music is being played in hospitals for newborn babies. It's not just any kind of soothing music that is used. It is lullaby music played to the rhythm of an actual human heartbeat. This music is used by the medical community in more than 8,000 hospitals and special care centers, simply because it works. Independent clinical research confirms that playing Heartbeat Therapy music calms babies on life support and during painful or frightening medical procedures. It helps children who have been traumatized or abused. Is it possible that music therapy used to calm critically ill babies in a hospital could calm anxious, frightened dogs? Or is it "snake oil"? I know we have tried dozens of products that are not very effective. Most of the CD's that claim to "make dogs happy" are simply people-pleasers. I became "the pest from the Iowa prairie" as I contacted different groups who have discovered the Heartbeat Music Therapy's impact on animals. I was impressed. It was tested by humane societies and members of the American Boarding Kennels Association. However, personal experience is always the best teacher. Several dogs at the TLC were driving us all crazy. One poor fellow was so distraught that he would cry/bark for hours. Another one licked himself until his skin was raw. One evening before I left the Center for the night , I turned on the CD player with the Canine Lullabies Heartbeat Music Therapy playing. I believe in miracles, and the next morning, we were met with miracles. I spent $90. on CD's and bought 6 little portable CD players and we now are truly amazed at the effect this CD is having on our dogs. Seldom do I promote a product, but Canine Lullabies Heartbeat Music Therapy DOES calm puppies and dogs. If you have a dog that suffers from separation anxiety, barks excessively, or exhibits other inappropriate behavior, I recommend trying it. For whimpering puppies, sick or injured dogs, or just hyperactive furbabies, it is a life saver. For more information go to www.caninelullabies.com or call toll free 1-800-537-7748. Actually, I would suggest going to the web site to get basic information and then call and visit with Terry...you will be glad you did!
You don't need an expensive CD player, but be sure to get one that will repeat over and over again. There are several brands that are compact in size and can be programmed to play continually. and are available in discount stores for about $25.
WE STILL HAVE A FEW COPIES OF OUR TLC CANINE COOKBOOKS.
We have received lots of rave reviews about our wonderful canine cookbook which features over 50 nutritious recipes .....for dogs! This cookbook, which was a TLC labor of puppy love, is still available...just contact us if you are interested in a copy.
PLEASE SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PETS
Again we want to stress that the only way to solve the pet overpopulation crisis is to convince people of the need to spay or neuter their companion animals.. We encourage you, if you have an intact animal, to do it before "Oops, another litter" happens. There simply are not enough good homes for all the animals being born. UNSEEN THEY SUFFER, UNHEARD THEY CRY, IN LONELINESS THEY LINGER, AND IN AGONY THEY DIE.
Sad, but true. If you don't have a pet of your own, sponsor one of a neighbor's or friend's, or sponsor a TLC dog. We are always overwhelmed with the number of animals to care for. We appreciate even partial sponsorships.
Who We Are
We are a non-funded, non-profit animal shelter that is totally dependent upon caring, sharing individuals and organizations. Donations and volunteers are always needed.
The TLC Canine Center in Newell, Iowa, is a shelter for homeless and abused dogs. It is the only registered shelter of this kind within a 50 mile radius. TLC dogs are not caged. All dogs have heated and cooled indoor homelike rooms with pet doors giving them access to outside yards. We are a small facility with space for about 24 dogs, so there is never enough room for all the dogs that need care.
The shelter was opened simply because of the tremenous need for such a facility in this area. It is a registered 501 C 3 facility that is a totally volunteer center. There are no paid employees. The entire operation is run by volunteer workers.
We are thankful for many organizations and individuals that support the shelter. Without them, we could not survive. We are appreciative of
good homes, and financial support to help with the day to day care of the animals, and the vet bills which never end.
I personally spend at least 5 hours a day at the shelter, usually more. We have faithful workers, and organizations who help. We have committed workers!!
WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER, HEALTHIER, HAPPIER PLACE FOR NEEDY FURBABIES.
Adopting a friend
The TLC Canine Center is a busy place. We average about five calls a day requesting that we take a dog. We always have a waiting list and we work with shelters and legitimate rescue groups throughout the area, so that, if they have room, they help.
Our goal is to find a loving, forever home for each one of our awesome furbabies. An adoption agreement must be signed regarding proper care of the animal. We require a home visit before considering any pawtential adoptor. We belong to a wonderful network of dog lovers who will visit prospects living in their own areas. We send the dog on a temporary basis (an overnighter, or a weekender) to see how the dog and people get along. We do not want an unhappy situation to develop. Since we feel that meeting the animal first is important to a successful relationship, we require that the interested party visit with the animal here at the shelter. (We do not ship dogs unless there has been a meeting between animal and person). Usually the relationship works; if not, we gladly take the dog back to the shelter. Our goal is to find caring, loving homes for all of our TLC residents.
We sometimes have a dog for a few days, sometimes for a week, and sometimes for months. If a dog has been abused, or neglected, our goal is to rehabilitate him/her to make a good family dog. There is no time limit on how long we keep a dog. We had one badly abused dog for over two years before we found him an understanding, loving home. Prospective adopters are screened very carefully before an adoption is competed. We want the adoption to work, both for the sake of the people and for the sake of the dog.
We realize that we cannot save all the homeless, abandoned dogs, but we continually remind ourselves of the STARFISH STORY. Many of you are familiar with that story, but we would like to share our version which is based on an incident that really happened to us:
It had been a long, stressful day, and I almost didn't answer the phone...but I did. A man explained that there was a tiny dog zigzagging through traffic in front of his main street store. "If you want to save her, you better come quick!" When I arrived, sure enough, a frightened little dog was dodging in and out between speeding cars. I took out the hot dog that I had brought along, sat down on the curb, and held it out to the dog, calling softly. She would come close, then dart away; come close; and dart away. Finally, the temptation was too great, and I had her in my arms. As she gobbled down the hot dog, I realized how painfully skinny she was under the dirty, matted fur. As I gently wrapped a blanket around her, a bystander said, "Why do you do this? For every dog you find a home for, there are a dozen more at the pound, two dozen more tied up and forgotten in backyards around the country, and thousands more being bred by unscrupulous breeders, only to end up unwanted and neglected. Why do you bother? Don't you know that what you are doing doesn't make any difference at all?" I smiled as I looked down into the eyes of the small, dirty dog. "But it does make a difference. It certainly makes a difference to this dog."
We cannot save them all....but we save the ones we can.
It is our goal to deal with compassion...kindness....gentleness...and patience...with humans and furbabies everywhere, and to make a difference when we can! We believe that working together we can make the world a safer, healthier, happier place for furbabies in need!
Come Visit Us!
We are easy to find. We are just 10 miles east of Storm Lake, Iowa. It is almost impossible to get lost, cause Newell is a small rural town. The physical address is North Fulton and Chaney. We love to have visitors, but you do need to let us know you are coming. The best way to contact us is by e-mail--plarsen@rconnect.com.
Everyone works very hard at the TLC. We often become discouraged. It seems we never have enough money to even pay for the necessities, and we always need volunteers.
We operate the TLC simply for the love of animals. WE COULD USE YOUR HELP!!!!
TLC Animal Shelter Canine Center
521 North Fulton Street
Box 373
Newell
IA
50568
e-mail:
plarsen@rconnect.com
Click here for a list of pets at this shelter
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