FLASH! FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED! It is raining cats out there and Reuben's Room needs foster homes, especially for cats who are coming into rescue and having a hard time. Some cats are more timid or nervous with what is a BIG change, and do not adjust as easily or as quickly as others. Some of our fur babies would do much better in a private home in a spare room (away from other cats) with the loving attention of a kind human on a temporary basis. Please call Jeanine and leave a message if you can foster a cat at 616-791-9696. Please can you or someone you know lend a helping hand? PURRRRS to you with big hearts.
Many folks are having trouble affording to feed and care for their companion animals in the economic downturn. Here are links to help from the Humane Society of the United States (cut and paste the link into your browser). http://www.smallpawsrescue.org/pup3/financialhelp.html
Events and Fundraisers
D&W Shopping Days are back. When you shop the week of November 22-28 (for Thanksgiving dinner so shop BIG) and mention (or enter) Reuben's Room code 94700 at checkout, we will get 2% of your checkout total donated by D&W. No cost to you so stock up that week!
Anybody like to eat? Our Culver's Dining Day for December is Tuesday December 8 from 4pm to 9pm. Go to the Culver's in Jenison (Cottonwood Drive) and order a take out or eat in meal and Reuben's Room receives a percentage of your total bill. No cost to you and you know how good Culver's food is, so mark your calendars. It's painless giving! And you will be served by a Reuben's Room volunteer!
Pictures with Santa will be at Pet Supplies Plus at Kalamazoo and 60th Street on Sunday, December 13th. Donation is $5.00. Bring your cats or dogs for some cute seasonal photos. This event benefits Reuben's Room. Ho Ho Ho.
Have you picked up a free copy of the locally published magazine, CATS AND DOGS? It is a monthly publication with all kinds of news about local animal events, stories and pet-related services! Reuben's Room stories and adoptables have appeared in each edition. If you'd like to learn more about our founder, our history and our cats, pick up a copy. If you can't find one in the bins at local retail outlets, you can subscribe to 12 issues for $24 and have the convenience of it being sent to you through the mail - you won't miss an issue. Send a check with your name and address, payable to Cats and Dogs to "Cats and Dogs", PO Box 996, Jenison, MI 49429-0996. As of January 2009 CATS AND DOGS may also be viewed online at www.catsand dogsmagazine.com. Check it out!
Thanks to Rhonda Mitchell-Glanzer who was recently featured in Cats and Dogs magazine. Rhonda hand makes catnip cat toys for the local shelters and rescues, including Reuben's Room. Now you can obtain them for your own kitties from Harvest Health on Eastern SE near Burton. Look for items labeled "Cat Toys Furever". Thanks, Rhonda for your loving work.
More catnip toys are available at Kentwood Cat Clinic during the month of October to benefit Reuben's Room. Thanks to Julie, who make the toys, and to Kentwood Cat Clinic for hosting these cute toys. Folks, stop by and choose several to get your cats moving!
As always, our enduring gratitude to Dr. E.J. Jones of Schmitt's Animal Hospital in Walker (www.schmittsanimalhospital.com) who makes our veterinary care incredibly affordable and who has been available at any hour when we have especially difficult medical cases. Thanks too to Pet Supplies Plus who makes the Kalamazoo Avenue at 60th Street location available to show some of our adoptables .
Sleepy Hollow Pet Cemetery has helped in many ways to keep our mission in front of the public. While it is difficult to think of losing our animal companion, it is best to be prepared with knowledge about the options for after care. You can contact them at any time (www.sleepyhollowpc.com) or call (616) 538-6050.
And of course, thanks to you who are our partners in our mission. You can take pride in having helped to rewrite this and every story with a happy ending…or new beginning. We salute you for your big hearts for cats you have never seen, but have helped us care for. We are a 501c3 charitable organization and your donations are tax deductible as provided by law.
OUR ADOPTION PROCESS (MORE ON THIS SOON)
All our precious adoptables are tested for feline leukemia and FIV, spayed or neutered if necessary, brought up to date with vaccines, and if necessary treated for parasites and fleas (we use Pfizer's Revolution) before coming home to you. Even more, many cats require comprehensive dental cleaning and care when they are surrendered, which is so important to their long term health and well being. We take care of these needs too. And all Reuben's Room cats are now microchipped when they are surrendered (since January 2006 ) for their safety and future identification. We have several longer term residents (check out Laddie, Smoothie, Louise or Samantha). If you are looking for a deserving cat, call us at 616-791-9696 and ask Jeanine which cat has been passed over repeatedly and consider taking him or her home - today. In fact, take two! Adopting a bonded pair is another wonderful way you can do a good thing and be blessed with the joy two cats - already known to get along with each other - and also free up our resources to welcome more cats in need from our long waiting list.
Our surrender and adoption fees do not come close to covering our costs. We are an all-volunteer organization that operates and exists solely on your donations. If you wish to help the cats in our care, you may direct tax-deductible donations by clicking on the PayPal logo below, no more writing a check and licking and stamping envelopes necessary (but you may still choose that option). Or you can donate gift cards from Meijer, Costco, Office Depot, or a gift card from the pet supplies store of your choice. This allows us to purchase food, medication, cleaning supplies, litter, bedding, crates and other necessities for the shelter.
We do appreciate your generosity, large or small, and we would not exist as an organization without it. For all mailed donations, please include your name and address in mailing to our post office box so we can thank you and provide you with a receipt. If you wish to go on our email list, please provide your email address also.
If you are interested in meeting and adopting a cat in our Reuben Room shelter location, that can be arranged by contacting us and is by pre-arranged appointment only. (Reubens Room is not open for public tours).
