P.U. AND HALLELUJAH! THE EPOXY IS ON THE FLOOR! See the 8th paragraph below for more info about our building, which is finally almost ready for animals.
NEW BEGINNINGS FOR 17 LITTLE DOGS Friends for Life was contacted November 20th about a number of small dogs that needed rehomed. Their owner had been ill for some time and had not been able to live alone at home. The trek had been made to the home every day to make sure the dogs had food and water, but finally their owner became too ill and was admitted unconscious to the hospital the day before and has been in ICU since. We drove to the residence (in another county) and were met by two rescuers from other organizations, and concerned neighbors. When FFL's director found out that the shelter in that area gassed the animals not adopted or claimed, just taking a couple was not an option! The other rescuers were very limited to how many they could take because of where they live, but FFL fortunately is not restricted. Although FFL brought back seventeen (eleven females and six males), thanks to private citizens and the other rescues, at least 26 dogs were rescued. All of the dogs are small (most are 14 lbs. to 20 lbs. and the largest is only 25 lbs.), and while some will require lots of TLC and socialization, others are very friendly and love attention. The first order of business, of course, was SPAYING, but our regular vet hospital was shorthanded this week. We didn't want to wait, and fortunately, with less than 24 hours' notice, Dr. Amy Wasalaski and Dr. Taylor of Dr. Amy's Mobile Vet Services of Frankford agreed to spay seven of the females Tuesday morning (the 24th). The dogs "came home" today (Weds.) and all seven girls, named Anna, Betsy, Carmen, Dixie, Fannie, Jackie, and Kelly, are doing fine. There are still four spays to do and six neuters, plus distemper/parvo shots, rabies shots, worming, and heartworm tests to give. The surgeries (including the seven already performed) shots, worming, and heartworm tests will total over $2000. Many of the dogs have hair loss around their eyes, which is probably demodectic mange (NOT contagious) from poor diet and stress, and several have more severe hair loss. They need high-quality food to combat this. If you would like to sponsor one or more of these little ones, please contact FFL at 304 667-1387, or send donations to RR02 Box 271, Lewisburg, WV 24901. No donation is too small, and every one is appreciated! For more info, call the number listed or email (calling will get a faster response). To see pictures of some of the dogs, please see our Adoptable Pets list. They're at the end of the list and are titled "Rescued Dogs". Thank You for your help in rehoming these little ones!
HISTORY AND GENERAL INFO Friends for Life began in 1996 and incorporated in January 2000. FFL received its non-profit status (501c3) from the IRS in November 2007. We are a care-for-life (or no-kill) sanctuary; there is no time limit for any animal. Friends for Life, Inc. is not affiliated with any other organization or shelter, or any other Friends for Life organization. We receive NO local, state, or federal funding and rely solely on contributions from individuals (please see our Sponsor Program below). Each animal that we accept is wormed; vaccinated; neutered/spayed if unaltered; and any needed veterinary care, including tests, treatment, and/or surgery, is provided during the time the animal is with us.
Currently (November 2009), FFL cares for fifty-six dogs and twenty-seven cats. Forty-eight of those dogs are seniors and many have been with us since the mid- to late 90s. In May of next year, our youngest cats will turn seven years old and we will have a 100% senior cat population (although seven for a cat just doesn't really seem "senior", does it? Seems more like "the low end of middle-age-ish".). We are totally committed to each animal here for its entire lifetime.
RECENT NEWS On October 10th FFL participated in Lewisburg's annual Taste Of Our Town (T.O.O.T.) celebration and started out with one large kitty litter cake (chocolate!) and two smaller cakes (spice and carrot), all complete with "strategically-shaped" tootsie rolls. FFL's brochures were updated and our president talked to a number of people who showed interest in FFL. The most amazing thing is almost all of the kitty litter cake was sold! Usually people want to know "What's in it?" but don't ask for any..... and although it still had to be explained numerous times "what's in" the cakes, people actually wanted a taste! (Next year there'll be two big chocolate cakes since it sold out first!) The weather was overcast and it was said that the crowd number was lower than previous years, but IT DIDN'T RAIN and the wind didn't blow things down! FFL made a total of $149 in sales and donations (less than half from previous years) but every bit helps.
IN MEMORY and/or IN HONOR OF: FUNDRAISING FOR DOGGIE DOORS We're trying to raise funds now to purchase nine Doggie Doors (and two kitty doors) for the kennel building. Good doors that are chew-proof or -resistant can cost up to $350 each, so we're still looking online for something good but more affordable. Those making a donation to help purchase one of these doors may make the donation In Memory or In Honor of a beloved companion, two- or four-legged. This information, including the donor's name(s), will be put on a plaque that will be placed in the kennel building. No donation is too small!
ANONYMOUS ANGELS FFL recently enjoyed a visit from an out-of-state couple and their canine family, which were all senior dogs that were scheduled for euthanasia when the couple adopted them. Three of the dogs are totally blind and of course are doing well and are curious and interested in the world around them. Thank goodness there are people like these Angels who are able to see past a disability to the heart of the dog. The couple donated lots of cans of mackerel for the cats, WalMart gift cards for food, and then handed a $3500 check to FFL's dazed president to pay half of FFL's vet bill! We're sworn to secrecy but hope they read this and know that their generosity is very gratefully appreciated!
SPONSOR PROGRAM Because so many of our dogs are seniors -- at least seven years old-- and many are ten years old and above, and even in their 'teens, their chances of adoption are slim to non-existent. If you are not able to fit another dog into your life but are drawn to a particular face here, perhaps you'd like to sponsor that animal. Sponsoring requires a commitment of $25 per month. This can be paid by the month, every six months, one amount sent for the entire year, etc.-- whatever is easiest for the sponsor. If a person wishes to sponsor a particular animal, we will send a 5x7 photo of that animal and its history. We are extremely grateful for our faithful (and new!) sponsors- they keep us going from month to month!
GETTING OUR BUILDING FINISHED We've got the walls sealed and the concrete floor has been etched, and we'll hopefully get the epoxy on this week (October 1-4th). The weather hasn't been cooperating much.... UPDATE November 17th: YAHOOO! The epoxy was painted onto the floor yesterday and is something we'll never do again because of the SMELL.... augh! But it's done and now only needs to dry and that awful smell needs to "go away". No dogs will be housed there until the entire smell is gone. We'd like to thank SJ Neathawk Lumber in Lewisburg for giving us a discount on the epoxy, and special thanks to employees Tonja and "Bear" for their patience and advice! But we still need: Nine Doggie Doors and two Kitty Doors Metal shelves 4 to 5 gallons of tan or beige concrete paint (Thank You, SJ Neathawk Lumber for donating paint!) 4-5 gallons tan or beige enamel wall paint (Thank you, S.J. Neathawk Lumber for donating paint!) Tarps to cover outside runs (10'x40' for one side; 10'x16' for the other side)
If anyone would like to donate anything or send a contribution to help with the cost, our address is RR02 Box 271, Lewisburg, WV 24901. Any help is appreciated!
THANKS AND APPRECIATION We are very grateful to work with extremely kind and generous veterinarians, without whom we would not be able to give our animals the care they need. Sincere thanks go to the doctors and staff of Greenbrier Veterinary Hospital here in Lewisburg; FFL has worked with GVH for a long time and they are very good to us. We'd also like to thank Patrick McHale, DVM, of Seneca Trail Animal Hospital in Lewisburg, who has helped us out with reduced-cost rabies shots and exams for dogs going to Save A Dog, the rescue in MA that we work with. Thanks also go to Edith McKinley, owner of Edith's Health and Specialty Store in Lewisburg. Edith is a wealth of information on herbs and homeopathy, and is extremely generous to FFL. Lots of hugs and appreciation are extended to Leisha at Hillhaven Animal Shelter and Rescue in Lost Creek, WV, for her time and moral support (and pumpkin cheesecake that we can't get in Lewisburg! Yum!). More
hugs and gratitude go to Shirley and crew at Save A Dog in Framingham, MA, for accepting dogs and puppies from us for over three years now and finding wonderful homes for them!
Friends for Life is also grateful for the kindness and generosity of people like you who enable us to continue to help our companions.
NEEDS N' WISHES LIST:
DONATIONS TO HELP WITH VETERINARY CARE- Because we receive no donations of food locally from the stores, all of our monetary donations must first be used to purchase food for our animals. This has meant that we cannot keep up with our veterinary expenses. We MUST pay half of our vet bill ASAP (UPDATE: Thanks to our Anonymous Angels, half of the bill was paid November 17th!), but expenses will continue. No donation is too small; any help is appreciated! RAW MEAT is best for dogs and cats. If you're local and you have beef, venison, chicken, etc. in the freezer you won't be using, please consider donating it to FFL. We'd be happy to get heart, tongue, and liver also. (No pork, please.) DOG WALKERS!You don't have to be a trainer-- the dogs just need exercise and one-on-one time. We can provide "slow, medium, or fast" dogs to suit the walker, AND you don't have to commit to a regular schedule-- we'll be glad for any time you can spare, so once in awhile is fine! Please call when you're available and we'll arrange a time. DOG BRUSHERS Again, you don't have to be a professional. We've got the tools needed to get those coats brushed and shiny! CANNED MACKEREL or SALMON: This is part of the diet we like to feed the cats, but only if it's donated because FFL can't afford to buy it.... DOG FOOD: We really like the natural foods with chicken, lamb, or other specific meat as the first ingredient, but they're expensive. We've started some of the dogs on Taste of the Wild in the past month, which is specific meat-based, and are going to try to swing getting Eagle Pack Holistic which is what our rescue, Save A Dog, uses. It would be easier for the dogs going to Save A Dog to be already on Eagle Pack before they go. We also try to use the dry foods that contain the least amount of "added color": Purina One Sensitive Systems Purina One Senior Diet Purina One Chicken or Lamb and Rice Iams Mini Chunks (Green Bag only- the other colors are mostly grain just like the cheaper foods!) Pedigree Adult Crunchy Bites (NOTE: If you'd like to donate food to any organization, please call and talk to someone first and find out what they use. No point in wasting your time and money buying something that they don't use.) CANNED DOG FOOD: Iams puppy (yellow can) or any high-quality canned food Pedigree Little Champions small breed Ol'Roy Hearty Loaf CAT FOOD: Any dry food that has NO added color. It's a challenge to find this in our area stores. Purina One cat food, any kind, is the best we can find in our area. CANNED CAT FOOD: Dinners only (our cats don't seem to like the shredded or gravied canned foods)- Turkey and giblets dinner, Chicken dinner, Liver and bacon dinner, etc. KONG TOYS with the hollow center that can be filled with kibble or other small treats FISH OIL We use over 70 fish oil gelcaps every day on the dogs' food. We use Spring Valley brand from WalMart. GIFT CERTIFICATES to Edith's Store in Lewisburg, CVS Pharmacy, K-Mart, Rite Aid, or GNC to purchase the vitamins and supplements we use; Hillbilly Supply in Lewisburg for dog food, WalMart, Kroger, PetsMart, or Petco for dog and cat food. KITTY BEDS or SMALL DOG BEDS CRATES AND CARRIERS-- Medium and Large
If you'd like to make a donation of anything from this list or the one at the top of our page here and you're local, please call for directions (304 667-1387) or we'd be happy to pick up. Thank you!
"I know there can no Heaven be if my pets aren't there to welcome me..." (Anonymous) We sadly said goodbye to the following companions who have left us and taken a little bit of our hearts with them: 2008 Jewel, golden retriever mix sp. female, 13 years, on January 5th Candy, Chow mix sp. female, 15 years, on January 18th Tigger Two, orange striped nt. male DSH, 8 years, on April 27th Boose-Boose, orange-stripe-w/white nt. male DSH cat, 8 years, on June 12th Punkin, Jack Russel/Beagle mix sp. female, 15 years plus, on July 23rd Brownie, Dachsie/Chihuahua mix sp. female, 14 years, on July 25th Marley, Aussie mix nt. male, 14 years, on August 8th Big Mac, the Halloween Cat, black male DSH, nt. male, 8 years plus, on August 8th Sara Beth, Black Lab mix sp. female, 16 years plus, on August 22nd Eightball, Corgi mix sp. female, 12 years plus, on September 10th Sam(antha), Schnauzer mix sp. female, 14 years, on September 29th Sandy Sue, sp. female mix, 11 years, on November 3rd Freckles, Walker hound sp.female mix, almost 15 years, on December 30th 2009 Keiffer, yellow Lab mix nt. male, 15 years plus, on January 5th Jake, bird dog/hound mix nt. male, 15 years, on January 25th Too Big, Chihuahua mix nt. male, 16 years, on February 4th Smokey, black DSH nt. male cat, 8 years, on April 10th Ebony, black DSH sp. female cat, 10 years, on June 1st Tux, Lab/Chow mix nt. male, 12 years, on July 2nd Maizie, LH Tortie sp. female cat, 9 years, on July 15th MowMow, black DSH nt. male cat, 10 years, on July 16th Rugby, our biggest boy, a nt. male Lab/Plott mix, 8 1/2 years, on July 20th Sonja (Sonie), Chow mix sp. female, 9-10 yrs, September 20th Buddy Bluetick, purebred nt. male Bluetick hound, appr. 10-12 years, September 23rd Dolly, Chow/Shepherd mix sp female, 12 years, October 13th Sasha, black and tan spf Beagle, 17 years old (our oldest dog), November 17th You are all missed so very much.... Sometimes I find myself still looking for someone at dinner time.
Adopting a friend
If you're interested in adopting one of our companions, please email us at the address at the bottom of this page, or call us at 304 667-1387.
Come Visit Us!
Friends for Life is located in Greenbrier County in southeastern WV. We are not a public shelter and welcome visits by appointment only. Interested persons may view dogs for adoption only AFTER being approved for adoption. This process includes a telephone interview, or possible home visit and interview if the interested party is close enough, and veterinary reference check. Please email us or call us at 304 667-1387 to inquire about adopting. FFL's mailing address is RR02 Box 271, Lewisburg, WV 24901 (We went back to our old address. The mailbox fee was too expensive for the little bit of mail we receive, plus since ours is a "business" mailbox, anything with that mailbox address was also stuffed into our box. Argh!)
Friends for Life Inc.
