Carolina Tails Magazine | 2016 January - March

TAILSCAROLINA WINTER 2016

A Charleston Animal Society Publication

Southern Charm The Pets of

Inside: Caitlyn Revealed: DNA Results

Titanium Cat LegsNo Kill. No Harm. No More.

WINTER 2016 | CAROLINA TAILS 1

2 CAROLINA TAILS | WINTER 2016



ContentsWINTER 2016

TAILSCAROLINA

Publisher: Keith SimmonsEditor-in-Chief: Dan KrosseManaging Editor: Joe ElmoreGraphic Design: Heineman DesignCopy Editors: Teri ErricoWriters: Teri Errico, Aldwin Roman, Dan Krosse, Ellie Whitcomb-PaynePhotographers: Jennifer Cady, Marie Rodriguez, Brian Stiles, Ellie Whitcomb PayneKay Hyman, Anna Vecchione, Aldwin Roman,Dan Krosse, Tag Your PixAdvertising Sales: Ted DeLoachDistribution Manager: Denise FletcherCover Photo: Photographer Jenn Cady (voted top three "people" photographer in theworld by Shoot & Share)Assistant and Grip: Jeff Parrish and Cody GreathouseMakeup: Vanity Salon, Kim Coleman, HaleyHickman, Ashley Campbell, Korissa Tyson

For inquiries regarding advertising, distribution or suggestions in Carolina Tails call (843) 352-9048 or [email protected].

2455 Remount Road, North Charleston, SC 29406(843) 747-4849

President: Elizabeth BradhamVice President: Julie BresnanVice President: Ann Long MerckVice President: Matt Watson, CPA, CVASecretary: Perry Jameson, DVMTreasurer: Hilton Smith, IIIMembers of the Board

Chief Executive Officer: Joe ElmoreMedia & Marketing Consultant:dpk media solutions

Carolina Tails is published quarterly by Traveler Communications Group,an independent publishing company. PO Box 22677, Charleston, SC 29413(843 352-9048). Carolina Tails is a registered trademark of Traveler Communications Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or inpart without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

John CawleyJohnny MaybankTara GerardiBob RifeElliott SummeyJeff WebsterMeg PhillipsEllen HarleyAussie GeerTami ZerbstHank GreerLaurel Greer

10

20

Kiara BarnettMary BlackJoe Waring, Esq.Sarah Hamlin Hastings Cynthia HayesAndrea FergusonHelen Pratt-ThomasEugenia BurtschyNancy WorshamBritton M. Hawk, Esq.Gerri GreenwoodDean RiegelHal Creel, Esq.

28

5 Welcome

6 Pet Pointers

8 Dear Carolina Tails

10 Caitlyn Revealed What Does Her DNA Test Show?

14 Can Your Pet Really Feel Love?

16 Me & Mrs. SmithA New Perspective for a Cruelty Investigator

20 The Cat with Titanium Legs

22 The Hottest 2016 Calendar Charleston Firefighters Flex for the Animals

24 Spay-Neuter Blitz

28 The Pets of Southern Charm

31 The 2015 Chili Cook-off Winning Recipe

32 2015 Year in Review

34 Take Me Home: Adoptions

36 Gumby: The Dog No Fence Can Contain

38 Ask the TrainerWhen Your Cats Start Fighting

40 Kid’s ZoneTime to Play

Please contact regarding Carolina Tails distribution, advertising or suggestions. For all other inquiries, pleasecontact Charleston Animal Society.(843) 352-9048 [email protected]

22


DEAR FRIENDS,

Ithink we will all agree that 2015 could not have been a more productive year for Charleston Animal Society! With focus, strategyand determination, we kept Charleston a No Kill Community for the third year in a row, and began to establish the infrastructurenecessary to enable our sister communities and the state of South Carolina to do the same. We could not have achieved No Kill

status without the incredible support of our community - all of our wonderful friends who adopt, spay/neuter, volunteer, foster anddonate - THANK YOU!

HERE IS JUST A PARTIAL LIST OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE YEAR:• Charleston Animal Society earned the American Animal Hospital Accreditation (AAHA) by meeting its approximately

975 standards, the only animal sheltering facility in the Southeast to receive this distinction.• The 2016 Firefighter Calendar Party raised more money for Toby’s Fund in one month than the 2015 Firefighter Calendar

raised in all of 2014.• Our 16th Annual Celebrity Chili Cook-Off & Oyster Roast raised $357,000 for Toby’s Fund.• For the third year in a row, Charleston Animal Society remains South Carolina’s most honored charity.

AND HERE IS MORE OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN 2015:• We found homes for more animals than ever before (5,000 plus!) • We spayed/neutered more animals than ever before (12,000 plus!)• We reached approximately 9,000 kids with our humane education program, breaking all previous records.• We increased our anti-cruelty and outreach efforts to an all-time high, resulting in more animal cruelty charges and arrests

made by law enforcement agencies, and more help to struggling families to keep their pets for life.

As you can see from our picture, Caitlyn and I got a little time together at the Chili Cook-off in November. She continues to amaze mewith her resilience and friendliness. Given all the noise and confusion at Chili, she waited patiently to receive her award with her Chiliteam. I hope you will read our article on the findings from Caitlyn’s DNA test (pg.10). You might be surprised!

For me, the most important article in this issue is the Pets for Life story by our anti-cruelty investigator, Aldwin Roman (Me & Mrs.Smith pg. 16). This story highlights the important role our pets play in our lives, the importance of maintaining a nonjudgmental stanceand the fact that Charleston Animal Society is about families, not just about the four-footed members, as some people might like toportray us. The fact that we share 99.9% of the same neurological, chemical and DNA matter with our dogs shows that we are more alikethan we are not. So, when you think that you see a particular expression on your dog’s face that expresses happiness, concern, fear orsadness, you are correct. As sentient creatures, they have yet to be fully recognized for their cognitive and emotional capabilities.

And at the end of the day, that is what Charleston Animal Society is all about -- insuring that these wonderful creatures (dogs, cats,horses, etc.) are recognized, respected and cared for appropriately. They possess the best of our emotions, only those that uplift andsupport their two-footed companions.

I know that I am my dogs’ human, and for 2016 I will try to live up to the standard of kindness and joy that they impart to me and myfamily every hour of the day.

Wishing you much happiness and health in the New Year,

Welcome

Elizabeth Bradham, President, Charleston Animal Society

Elizabeth spends timewith Caitlyn, just beforeCaitlyn’s appearance atthe 2015 CharlestonAnimal Society ChiliCook-off & Oyster Roast.


PET POINTERSWINTERNews Tidbits

NEWS:: You Can Use

Charleston Animal Society Facebook Nearing 225,000 Followers

It’s been a big year for Charleston AnimalSociety’s social media reach. Starting 2015with a Facebook following of 50,000 people,the rescue organization has been stunned atthe rate at which people are jumping on to follow the nonprofit’s feed. “It has been nothing short of amazing,” said CharlestonAnimal Society Director of Community Engagement Kay Hyman.

While growth had been steady, it wasn’t until after Caitlyn the Dog’s rescue in Maythat the number of followers exploded. By October, the organization had reached200,000 followers and as of press time for thismagazine, it had climbed again to 221,000.

“The beauty of Facebook is that we are ableto reach more people at one time than we everimagined and to have this new level of inter-action and engagement with people who loveanimals is truly a blessing,” Hyman said.

New Federal Protections for Animals(Courtesy: ASPCA)Tucked inside the massive 2016 Federal Budget are provisions that will help protect animals.

The spending plan prevents the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) fromusing taxpayer dollars to inspect horse slaughter facilities. This provision (backedby Sen. Lindsey Graham), makes it impossible for the horse slaughter industry tocontinue in the United States for at least the next fiscal year.

According to the ASPCA, the bill also requires the USDA to improve the animalwelfare policies at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center — a Nebraska facilitywhose horrendous treatment of animals was exposed in the New York Times—andother federally run agricultural facilities.

The bill also includes measures to help protect wild horses from slaughter andto ensure proper oversight and enforcement of laws cracking down on puppy millsand horse soring.

2015 Most Popular Dog NamesMale Female1. Max 1. Bella 2. Charlie 2. Lucy 3. Buddy 3. Daisy

2015 Most Popular Cat NamesMale Female1. Charlie 1. Lily2. Jack 2. Chloe 3. Jasper 3. Lucy

#1 Viral PetVideo of 2015:Cats & Cucumbers

No Kill. No Harm. No More.If you looked to the sky last November you may have seen an extraordinary blimpfloating hundreds of feet in the air. It was branded with the words, “No Kill. No Harm.No More.”

It symbolized the beginning of the boldest animal care movement ever launched in the United States. It’s a movement that’s being spearheaded by Charleston Animal Society and will target the entire state under an initiative called “No Kill South Carolina.”

“Right now across South Carolina, tens of thousands of animals are dying because of a lack of space or a lack of dollars,” said Charleston Animal Society CEO Joe Elmorewho is leading the No Kill. No Harm. No More (NKNH) effort. “What’s exciting is that we can help communities end the killing, by teaching them how we were able to do it here in the Lowcountry, with No Kill Charleston,” Elmore explained.

The grassroots plan is bold: each region of the state will have a “key resource center”that will help under-performing animal shelters raise the bar of animal care across all of South Carolina. Charleston Animal Society will first share the strategies thatled Charleston to become the first No Kill Community in the Southeast with the key resource centers. These shelters will then “pay it forward” to more shelters in their areas offering mentoring to teach all shelters to be successful in their respectivecommunities.

“When we define No Kill as ‘saving every healthy and treatable animal,’ we alsomean saving them from cruelty,” said Charleston Animal Society Director of Philanthropy Jennifer Winchester, “We need to help law enforcement crack down on perpetrators, but we also want to increase our outreach levels in the most at-riskcommunities.”

How Can You Help?There are three main ways you can become a part of the No Kill. No Harm. No More.movement:

1. The Gift of Your Time: Volunteer at your local shelter.2. The Gift of Your Home: Foster or adopt an animal.3. The Gift of Your Money: The movement needs champions at all levels of giving.Please contact Jennifer Winchester at Charleston Animal Society for details: [email protected].

“We are launching this bold initiative based in the confidence we have gained with the success of No Kill Charleston 2015. We have sustained a No Kill Community forthree years, and there is no reason we should not be sharing our knowledge to end theneedless killing of animals across our state,” said Elmore. You can learn more atwww.CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/NKNH.

She Can’t Hide ItWhen you see a calico cat, you can betyour bottom dollar that you’re looking at a female. How? Because almost all calicocats are girls due to genetics. Scientistsbelieve the calico’s coat color is linked to the X chromosome – the female chromosome. However, scientists are quick to point out that there are rare instances of male calico cats, but they are almost always sterile.



Inbox:: Reader Feedback

DEAR CAROLINA TAILS:Your article “Pets Caught in the Middle” touched a nerve. Thank you forbringing the problem of how pets are used in domestic abuse to the public.I lived through this and thought I was alone until I saw your article. Thank you – D.M., North Charleston

I just got my Carolina Tails in the mail! Even though I live in Tennessee, I read every page! Excellent and well done magazine!! Susan Barksdale

Is the Boxer on the cover up for adoption? – Helen RamseyEditor’s Note: No, our cover model already has a safe, loving home. But please check out our other adoptable dogs at www.CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/adopt-a-dog.

“Thank you for the apartment guide showing pet-friendly places.Charleston needs more affordable housing that allows dogs and cats! – Tim Maddox, Johns Island

Send your comments to [email protected].

Southern Charm’sCameran Eubanks poses with Pierre atthe Carolina Tails cover shoot onDecember 17, 2015.Learn more about theSouthern Charm cast and their pets on page 28. And tosee more adoptableanimals, please lookat our Take Me Homesection on page 34.

Photography: Jennifer Cady


DNA

RESULTS


BY DAN KROSSE

CANINES:: Breeds

Caitlyn Revealed

We now have a glimpse inside the DNA makeup of “America’s Dog,” Caitlyn. Since being found last May in North Charlestonwith her muzzle taped shut, Caitlyn has fascinated and inspired millions of people around the globe with her story of survival.In December, People magazine named her the “Best Survival Story of 2015.” We wondered if her ancestry would give us clues

as to why she is such a force to be reckoned with.DNA testing revealed Caitlyn is a mix of American Staffordshire Terrier (one of the breeds that people sometimes refer to as a Pit Bull

type dog), Border Collie, Boxer and German Shepherd. Carolina Tails asked those who’ve spent the most time with her if they were surprised by the results:Foster Mom: “Pretty cool with the DNA testing! I would say she likes to herd an animal, especially squirrels, like a Border Collie. She

definitely has the loyalty and close bonding of the Staffordshire Terriers and wants to be with a person if at all possible and she loves tocuddle. She is so sweet natured like a typical Staffie and is wonderful with kids. I think they used to call them the ‘nanny dogs,’ and I cansee why!“

Aldwin Roman, Charleston Animal Society Director of Anti-Cruelty & Outreach: “I thought the results were interesting. I had mysuspicions before we tested her that she was not all American Staffordshire. Her gait just wasn't typical. Her bark was more high pitchedthan typical for the breed. Her tail had a slight curl which is also not typical. She did show what we typically see in American StaffordshireTerriers, loyalty and lots and lots of affection. But her intelligence reminded me of Border Collies.”

CC Bourgeois, Southpaw-Petcare Pet Trainer: “When I watched her play, I noted that her play style was very much like that of aBoxer. And she was so intelligent like a Border Collie because we would show her a trick or skill and she would have it down pat after oneor two repetitions. She's so intelligent she will need plenty of mental stimulation.”

Kay Hyman, Charleston Animal Society Director of Community Outreach: “It was such a delight to see the results. This mix showsshe truly is ‘America’s Dog,’ a perfect blend of dogs we as Americans love. The combination of German Shepherd and Border Collie isobvious when she runs.”If you would like to have your pet’s DNA tested, ask one of our associates in the Charleston Animal Society Retail Store.

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HUMANE EDUCATION:: Dog Breeds

Are you breed savvy? Or doyou judge a book by its cover?With breed-specific legislationrearing its head in some partsof the country, we wondered ifyou can “Pick the Pit” from thisgroup of dogs. “This kind of alesson is important for all ofus, because a lot of peoplewrongfully assume a dog is aPit Bull when it isn’t. And thisgets to a bigger issue thatanimal behavior is not basedon breed, but temperament,”said Charleston Animal SocietyHumane Education Director DeDaltorio, “the vast majority ofPit Bulls are wonderful animals.”Time to see how you do. Thereare only three dogs with PitBull ancestry on this page.

CAN YOU PICK THE PIT?!

CANINE

BIAS?


IT STARTS WITH A GLANCE. ANaffectionate stare. Your eyes fix and youconnect. You fill with warmth, a surge ofhappiness, possibly even love. It's a feelingyou wish for every Valentine's Day and thisyear it could be yours--if you just got a pet.But the way cats and dogs show their affectionis very different (as if you didn’t know)!

Puppy LoveAccording to a recent preliminary studyby researchers at Massachusetts GeneralHospital, it turns out domesticated dogsand humans may have an emotionalconnection after all.

Humans who don’t own fur babies maynot get how someone can love their petlike a child, but this new study aimed toprove it’s possible. In the test, researchersscanned 14 women’s brains with functionalmagnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while

CAN YOUR PET REALLYFEEL LOVE? BY TERI ERRICO

ANIMAL OUTREACH:: The Human Connection

the subjects viewed photographs of theirchildren and dogs, as well as children anddogs they’d never met. The findings showedthat the women’s brain-activity increasedin areas such as emotion, reward, affiliation,visual processing and social interactionwhen they looked at photos of their ownchildren and dogs versus the unknown.

Of course there were different responsesbetween how a woman viewed her childand her dog. The area of the women's brainsthat is significant to bond formation showedactivity only when they saw their child. Onthe other hand, the region of their brainsinvolved in facial recognition was strongerwhen they viewed photos of their dogs.But differences aside, the study’s mainoutcome is the conclusion that dog love isin fact, extremely similar to maternal love.

Another similar scientific study in Japandiscovered that when humans and dogs

lock eyes, both their bodies produce elevatedlevels of oxytocin—a hormone commonlyknown as the “love hormone” or “hughormone” due to its effects on behaviorand women’s reproduction.

Oxytocin is primarily associated withnurturing and attachment. So if you believeyour dog's prolonged eye contact is its wayof communicating, you are correct! Considerit hugging...with their eyes. To further provethis theory, the Japanese researchers gavemale and female dogs an extra dose ofoxytocin via a nasal spray to see what wouldhappen. It resulted in female dogs staringinto their owners’ eyes even longer and inturn, the owners’ oxytocin levels also rose.While it's unclear why results were so muchstronger in female dogs, researchers thinkthis act of mutual gazing as a whole hasevolved as dogs have become domesticated.

And Then There Are Cats…Puppy love, it seems, is real. If you wantcat love, however, keep dreaming. Or better,change your frame of mind. Cats live andlove how they please and animal behaviorspecialists at the University of Lincoln inEngland reaffirmed this to be true. Yourcat may love you and share a bond withyou, but as a whole the species is not co-dependent on humans and don't look to usas their sole protectors or source of securitylike dogs or children do. The researchfindings were based on the AinsworthStrange Situation Test (SST), which is atrusted method to measure “secureattachment”—such as the bond betweenparents and their children when put inforeign environments.

This particular study put an owner andcat in an unfamiliar room, then removedthe owner and replaced him or her with astranger. Besides emitting a few sounds,cats showed no signs of distress or secureattachment when their owners left. Somereasons could be that cats haven’t beendomesticated as long as dogs, nor is it theirnature to bond as closely. Cats also simplyaren't bred with the purpose of stayingclose to humans.

True love comes in all forms whetherbetween family, partners, friends or pets.This Valentine's Day, if you want puppylove, come to the Charleston Animal Societyand adopt a puppy or a grown dog. Butremember that cats are pretty greatcompanions too, they just like to keep it tothemselves.

BEMINE!



ANIMAL OUTREACH:: Human Connection

PETS

FORLIFE

BY ALDWIN ROMAN

Me& Mrs.SmithThe story of how a woman and her ailing dog foreverchanged the outlook of an anti-cruelty investigator.

Maggie Smith with Richin happier days, afterRich grew his fur backwhen he was treatedfor a terrible case ofsarcoptic mange.


Ifirst met Mrs. Smith on July 11, 2014. She had called CharlestonAnimal Society about coming in to have her sick, elderly dogeuthanized. As an animal cruelty investigator, I really had no

idea that this one little phone call would eventually change theway I see the world.

When Mrs. Smith (Maggie) came through our doors later thatday, it was hard to believe that what she brought with her was a dog,but it was — and his name was Rich. All his fur was gone and hisskin from the tip of his tail to his crusty nose was red and inflamed.There was a thick crust covering most of his body and his ears wereso crusted it looked like reptilian skin. Though I remember vividlywhat he looked like, it still is difficult to put into words.

Rich was in a lot of pain and defeated. His head hung low and hiswalk was at best a shuffle. I could not believe this dog, who was 10years old, was still alive given his condition. As a certified crueltyinvestigator all I could hear in my head was “CRUELTY!” “FELONY!”“JAIL TIME!” My entire focus was on the dog and I had completelyshut out that he had an owner. Then I remembered my Pets for Lifetraining I had just completed the year before. It was all aboutapproaching people without judgment to build relationships andtrust. I thought I would give this approach a whirl.

I took Maggie and Rich into a separate office and we sat downto talk. Instantly, I could tell he meant a lot to her. Maggie startedtaking care of Rich after finding him being neglected in herneighborhood many years ago. Recently he had developed a skinproblem and she had tried some over the counter medications totreat him but had little success. When she saw his skin gettingworse, she took him to the veterinarian. She was able to pay forsome of the treatment but could not afford the $500 it would costto treat him fully. Maggie was on a fixed income with no job and in

poor health. She just didn’t have the funds it would take to fix herbeloved dog. Out of hope, Maggie decided to bring him to theshelter to have him euthanized. She couldn’t stand to watch himsuffer anymore.

After I spoke with Maggie, I told her that I wanted one of ourveterinarians to look at him before she went through with herdecision. It was possible that Rich’s condition was treatable and ifthat was the case she could keep him and not have to put himdown. Yet even as I was telling her this, the “investigator” side ofmy brain was telling me that this situation was a case of animalcruelty. Failure to provide necessary veterinary care and causingunnecessary pain and suffering by omission. But it wasn’t thatsimple in the end. By holding my judgment and really getting thefull story, I found that underneath a mask of animal cruelty was awoman falling on hard times, who couldn’t bear to let go of herclosest companion. She didn’t want to give him up but she couldn’tafford to fix him. It was a bad situation but there was no malice ornegligence.

The DiagnosisIn the examination, our veterinarian found Rich had a severe

case of sarcoptic mange, along with other skin and ear infections.Because Charleston Animal Society had recently started ouroutreach program, Pets for Life, which provides medical supportfor pets in the most at-risk areas of our community, we were able toprovide treatment for Rich at no charge and even better, he could

Rich with Charleston Animal SocietyAnti-Cruelty & Outreach ManagerAldwin Roman.

“I really had no idea that this one little phone call would eventually change the way I see the world.”

Me & Mrs. Smithhad a complex

relationship. I willnever forget her.

She made me re-evaluate what

I define as animal cruelty.


stay with her while going through treatment. Maggie had to bringRich to the shelter twice a week for a month to get medicatedbaths. She never missed an appointment. She never missed givinghim a dose of his medication no matter how much he fought her.She never gave up on him.

In just one week we could all see Rich starting to improve.Maggie was watching her dog come back to her one strand of furat a time. The better he got the happier she became. She justcouldn’t believe that he was getting better after she thought shewas going to lose him for good. I will never forget when she toldme, “Thank you for helping us. If Rich had died, I’m sure I wouldhave died too.”

After one month Rich had a thin coat of fur covering his wholebody and now he stood up shoulders raised, head up, and mouth

couldn’t stand to let Rich go. Soon, Maggie was hospitalized withstage-4 metastatic stomach cancer. There was no treatment. Havingvisited her home many times, I knew Maggie had no family tomake medical decisions. In the hospital, she refused to talk to herdoctors or case worker. She would only speak with me, my Pets forLife colleague, Kristin Kifer, and Maggie’s close friend Martha.

Weeks went by and Maggie was transferred to the IntensiveCare Unit. Seeing her condition worsen day-by-day, I called hernurse and asked if we could bring Rich to visit her one last time.Thankfully, the hospital made an exception, and allowed a visit. Iwill always remember bringing Rich up to her room and layinghim on her bed. By this point Maggie had lost consciousness andcould not be woken up. We place her hand on his fur so that shecould feel him one last time and so that he could say goodbye. I

Rich had lost his fur and haddry, scaly skin before histreatment and eventual cureat Charleston Animal Society.

know she knew Rich was there, but I could tell Rich was having ahard time understanding that Maggie was there. All the medicalequipment and cleaners were covering up her smell. We broughtout Maggie’s purse to pull out some pictures and Rich startedfuriously sniffing it. I think that’s when it hit him where he was.And just as he had done for years and years, he lay next to Maggieand faced the door to her room and kept guard. Rich kept watchover and protected his mom until the very end.

Maggie passed away peacefully the following morning. Me & Mrs. Smith had a complex relationship. I will never forget

her. She made me re-evaluate what I define as animal cruelty. Ithas changed the way I do my job and changed my vision of what itwill take to really change animal welfare in this world.

Editor’s Note: Through Pets for Life, Charleston Animal Society isworking to insure Rich will live out the remainder of his life in acomfortable, loving, home-- just as Maggie wanted.

open with a grin like a champion. He continued on his medicationsfor a couple more weeks and continued to get better. One yearlater, Rich’s hair was so thick, we had to help Maggie give him atrim. I remember showing off his new haircut to all the shelteremployees, saying “Hey do you remember Rich?” When I showedthem the first picture I had taken of him over a year ago, mostpeople didn’t believe it was the same dog. Rich even made a specialappearance for a kids camp to help them learn how compassionand non-judgement can make a difference.

An Unexpected TurnWhile she was grumpy in her own, delightful way, I always lookedforward to my time with Maggie. But in early November, I got acall from Maggie and this time I could sense something was wrong.She had cancer. It was terrible news and yet her main focus wasmaking plans for her dogs (Rich and Bear) and what would happento them if she passed. We found Bear a new loving home, but she


Rich striking a pose with hisnewly grown-in fur.

In just one week we could all see Rich starting to improve. Maggie was watching her dog come

back to her one strand of fur at a time.


VINCENT CAN’T JUMP JUST YET, BUTit’s probably only a matter of time.

The 3-year-old domestic short-haired catrecently paced across the floor of an examroom at Iowa State University’s LloydVeterinary Medical Center with thelegendary curiosity long associated withfelines. He took in his surroundings andstrolled over to the base of an exam table.

And that’s when you could see it – justfor a moment – in the way Vincent tensedhis body and set his gaze toward the ceiling.He wanted to jump. He wanted to scale theexam table and find out what the view waslike from the top.

But his titanium-alloy prosthetic hindlegs kept him on the ground – for now, atleast.

“I anticipate that he’ll be jumping anddoing really normal cat things very soon,”said Dr. Mary Sarah Bergh, the veterinaryorthopedic surgeon who attached Vincent’sprosthetic legs and has overseen hisrehabilitation.

Bergh estimates that only a couple dozenanimals in the world have received the sortof prosthetics Vincent now has. His recoveryhasn’t always been easy, due in part to howlittle data is available to guide hisrehabilitation.

But the overall arc of Vincent’s recoveryshows undeniable progress, a testament toinnovative veterinary medicine and thededication and love of his owner.

‘Been through more than most’Cindy Jones, of rural Nevada, first laid eyeson Vincent at the Story County AnimalShelter, where Jones works. Someone foundthe tiny kitten with injured hind legs at acampground and brought him to the shelter.Jones decided to take the kitten home andsee what could be done for him.

“I took one look at him and fell in love,”Jones said.

It was Emily Jones, Cindy’s daughterwho attends veterinary school at Iowa State,who first thought that Bergh might be ableto help.

Bergh, who has worked with a wide rangeof injured species, first tried physical therapywith Vincent but realized early on thatendoprosthetics represented the best chance

MEET THE CAT WITH TITANIUM LEGSMEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH:: Cat Prosthetics

at a normal life for the cat.Vincent’s implants require some special

care. For instance, Jones has to apply anantibiotic spray to his legs twice daily toprevent infections. But, on the whole, Vincentacts like any normal house cat, and Cindyquickly forgives the occasional hiss orscratch.

“He’s been through a lot more than mostcats have to go through,” she explained.

A rare procedureWhen Vincent was brought to the animalshelter as a kitten, his hind legs were missingbelow the midway point of his tibias, orshinbones. Bergh said she couldn’t ascertainexactly how he ended up in that condition.

Bergh worked with BioMedtrix, aveterinary orthopedics company thatdonated time and materials to the project,to design implants that could be insertedinto the femur bones of Vincent’s legs andpass through his skin. A 3-D printer helpedmake the legs possible.

The design of the implants allows forVincent’s bone to grow onto the titaniumshafts to support his weight, she said. Butthe titanium shaft is exposed to theenvironment, which puts Vincent at risk

for infection and is an ongoing challengeshe and Jones have worked hard toovercome.

Vincent’s first surgery occurred inFebruary 2014, and he was taking his firststeps within days of the procedure. A secondsurgery followed earlier this year in February,and he’s undergone subsequent treatmentsto gradually lengthen the prosthetic legs.Eventually, they’ll be as long as the hindlegs of an average house cat to normalizehis gait. At that point, he should be able toget around with little difficulty – even if hewants to try jumping.

Bergh said the experience with Vincentmay help her and other veterinaryorthopedic surgeons expand and improvethe use of implants for animals in the future.She called this kind of procedure an“emerging field” that’s rare in veterinarymedicine, but Vincent’s case may helpanswer some questions and make implantsa more practical solution.

As for Vincent, Bergh said his futurelooks bright. “His bone is looking great.The implants are stable, and he’s walkingreally well on them,” she said. “I couldn’tbe happier with how he’s doing at thecurrent time.

Dr. Mary Sarah Bergh examinesVincent during a recent visit to theLloyd Veterinary Medical Center.Photo by Christopher Gannon. Courtesy: Iowa State News Service.



SAVING LIVES:: Hot Firefighters

ON

SALE

NOW!Get 'em While They're Hot!The 2016 Charleston Firefighter Calendar benefiting Charleston Animal Society is going fast and furious, but there is still time to pickone up. All of the net proceeds from the calendar will go to Toby’s Fund, Charleston Animal Society’s Medical Fund. “It is an honor toteam with our community’s firefighters, our sponsors and our calendar work committee to produce the Firefighter Calendar,” saidCalendar Producer and Charleston Animal Society Director of Special Projects & Regional Development Caroline Eller. Visit CharlestonAnimal Society or go to CharlestonFirefighterCalendar.com

2016 Cover Model Dustin Ford working the crowd at the Firefighter Calendar Debut Party.

Mr. August Josh Allen and Caitlyn on Folly Beach.

Calendar Debut Party Emcees Jen Coleman and Caroline Eller.

Calendar Sponsors, Re Brooksand Heather Platzer.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TAG YOUR PIX


Dustin Ford and Justin Iverson at theircalendar shoot at Old City Jail.

Jacob Stafford and Ziva.

Order OnlineCharlestonFirefighterCalendar.com

Mr. January, Jacob Stafford andCalendar Producer, Caroline Eller.


SPAY-NEUTER BLITZBY DAN KROSSE

SAVING

LIVES

SAVING LIVES:: Spay-Neuter

IT WAS ORGANIZED CHAOS IN THEhallways of Charleston Animal Society’sAAHA-accredited Spay-Neuter Clinic onNovember 14th and December 5th. Startingat 7:30am, cats from around the Lowcountrybegan arriving. 134 in November and 132in December!

And somehow during all the hustle andbustle, each of the cats were spayed orneutered over the course of 8 hours. “Weare like a well-oiled machine,” said Spay-Neuter Clinic Manager Zohra Badat, LVT.“These animals were primarily outdoor,free-roaming cats and we were able toprovide these procedures at no cost to theowners.”

Why offer free spay-neuter procedures?“The number of kittens who will now NOTbe coming into the shelter is exponential,”said Charleston Animal Society SeniorDirector of Veterinary Care Lucy Fuller,DVM. “When we offer free and low-costspay-neuter events, we are flooded withanimals. This shows that people dounderstand the importance of getting theiranimals altered, but many times the decisionnot to spay or neuter is a matter ofaffordability.” Fuller also told Carolina Tailsthat free-roaming cats contribute heavilyto the cat overpopulation problem.

In 2015, Charleston Animal Society sawmore than 2,400 kittens enter the shelter.“The hope is that spay-neuter blitzes likethis one will continue to bring that numberdown,” Badat said. And while the 268surgeries completed during the blitzes were

pretty amazing, it’s a drop in the bucket.Charleston Animal Society performed 12,000spay neuter procedures in 2015 thanks tothe continued donations of supporters fromaround the Lowcountry – all part of thestrategy to keep Charleston a No KillCommunity.

Photos show cats being prepared forsurgery, during surgery and then after surgery, where they rest on ‘the beach,” monitored by trained vol-unteers as the anesthesia wears off.





BY DAN KROSSE PHOTOGRAPHY: JENNIFER CADY

Patricia Altschul: “One of the things that the castof Southern Charm did was to raise quite a bit ofmoney for Caitlyn the dog and create awarenessabout Charleston being a No Kill Community.Growing up I always had dogs, cats and horses. I’veprobably had over twenty rescued animals and Ijust think animals enhance your life in every wayand I cannot imagine life without animals. Whenwe tape the show, sometimes my dog makes anescape and will run into a scene and I just pick himup and sit him on the chair next to me. It’s fun.Right now, I have Whitney’s boxer Smoochie, becausehe is traveling and doing other shows. My twoPomeranians are Siegfried and Roy. The LagottoRomagnola is Monte. I have a pug named Chaunceyand a cat named Ashley.“

Cameran Eubanks: “I have been married for almosttwo years and I am still begging my husbandeveryday to get one. He is deathly allergic, sowhatever we get will have be hypoallergenic. If Iever need an animal fix, I just come over to Patricia’shouse because it is like a zoo over here and I alsojoke that if I ever have to come back, I am going tocome back as an animal and live over here. Youknow, they are living the life.”

Michael Kelcourse: “These are all Mrs. Altschul’sanimals that I take care of. My Min-Pin died lastyear after 10 years and $17,000 in medical bills. Ihad gone in to rescue a cat and this little dog hadbeen there for seven months and I felt so sorry for itbecause it went to sit in my lap and I said to them ‘Ican’t leave without this dog.’ Animals are the mostimportant things in the whole world because theynever disappoint you. In the show, they are alwaysperfect, they are always on cue.”

MEDIA:: Pet Advocates!

No one can deny that Southern Charm is the Holy City’s most talked about TV show. Airing on Bravo, the reality program centerson the ups, downs and drama surrounding a group of friends who live on the Charleston peninsula. Locals love to buzz aboutseeing “this restaurant,” or “that part of town” in the program – but Carolina Tails was fascinated by the cameo appearances

of the cast members’ pets! We chuckle every time we see these four-legged actors scurry around in the background, giving a startledglance or disapproving “meow” at the antics of their humans. Once, a main storyline saw Patricia’s dog receive acupuncture! So do thecats and dogs “steal the show?” We asked the cast of Southern Charm and found all of them to be big animal supporters:

Patricia Altschul relaxingwith her Pug Chauncey.

The Pets ofSouthern Charm

POPCULTURE

Cameran Eubankssharing a momentwith Charleston Animal Societymodel (up for adopton) Pierre.


Craig Conover: “My family has a one-year-oldGolden Retriever, whose name is Fenwick. Thefirst time I ever met Fenwick was filming lastseason and then this season he makes anotherguest star appearance but I would notice thecameras tend to be on him more then me becausethey are just so entertaining. And then, Naomieand I have a, I don’t know what kind of cat it is, helooks like a baby lion and his name is Gizmo.He’s a little fluff-ball.”

Naomie Olindo: “My cat Gizmo is a rescue and he is like the best thing that has everhappened to me. He taught me responsibility. I travel with him. He rides in the car withme. He goes on the boat. He has been paddle boarding. He is kind of like a cat-dog.When I see him on the show, it’s like being proud of your child. When my mom met mydad, he was 36, single with eight cats (laughter) and she married him anyway and so wealways had animals and also grew up with horses. I think our pets have just as manyfeelings as we do. When people say ‘it’s just a dog,’ I completely disagree. It’s not just adog, it’s like a family member.”

Landon Clements: “I am a foster family for Charleston Animal Society. My first fosterwas an Australian Cattle dog and it was actually for a family that had to relocate orsomething, so I just had him for a couple of weeks and she was able to go back to herfamily. So it was great. It’s not always a long-term commitment. The great thing aboutfostering is, you have so much support from Charleston Animal Society. Whether it’s thevet bills or if you do have to go out of town, there are people there that are able to helpyou and you are able to give somebody a home that needs one. My dog is Charlotte whojust turned 11. She’s a miniature Eskimo. We’ve always had animals in my family growingup and they just make life better.”

Shep Rose: “I do not currently have any pets. I’mpretty sure my lifestyle and travel habits wouldnot be very fair to any sort of creature. But maybeI will get a pet, if and when I settle down. Myfolks always had labs. Our dog was a black labnamed Nike and thank goodness she couldn'ttalk, she witnessed some epic parties. The goodthing about pets in the show is that you can justsit in the corner and play with them and don'thave to enter the sometimes nutty TV scene. Ioften gravitate towards dogs at parties as well.”

Shep Rose posing withPaco the goldfish.

Landon Clements, a Charleston Animal Society foster parent,posing with her Miniature EskimoCharlotte.

Naomie Olindo withher “lion” cat Gizmo.

Craig Conover withCharleston Animal Society model (up foradoption) Sassy Suzy.


2015 CELEBRITYCHILI COOK-OFF & OYSTER ROAST

Arecord amount for animals wasraised through the 2015 CharlestonAnimal Society’s Celebrity Chili

Cook-off & Oyster Roast at the Citadel onSaturday. All of the net proceeds will goto Toby’s Fund, Charleston AnimalSociety’s Medical Fund. 5,000 peopleparticipated in the organization’s 16thAnnual Chili Cookoff, setting attendanceand fundraising records for the event.“People in Charleston came out and onceagain proved that they believe animalsare a very important part of our communityand they want the best care possible forthem,” said Chili Cook-off Chairwomanand Charleston Animal Society BoardMember Gerri Greenwood. The day washighlighted by an appearance of Caitlynthe dog and the launch of an exciting life-saving movement by Charleston AnimalSociety: No Kill, No Harm, No More!

TOP: The Live 5 News Team celebrates a win in the “Best in Show” celebrity chili category. BELOW: The College of Charleston Chili Team serves up one of hundreds of samples they shared at the cook-off.


3.5 tsp chili powder2 tsp cayenne½ cup brown sugar½ cup cider vinegar5 cup tomato sauce5 cup beef stock2 can black beans, 15oz, drained 1 Tbsp cocoa powder

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Kids Zone was a big hit with families at the Chili Cook-off.;The Cat Ladies were on the prowl for Team Feline Freedom Coalition.; Chili Trophies overlooking the Citadel Football Stadium.; Mount Pleasant Waterworks Celebrating their “BestPresentation” win for the second year in a row!

WINNING CHILI RECIPEAs the nights get cooler, there’s nothing like chili to warm things up. Burtons Grill(located in the Town Centre Mall in Mount Pleasant) won the Best in Showcompetition at the 2015 Charleston Animal Society Chili Cook-off & Oyster Roast. The winners are kind enough to share their award-winning recipe below. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS: 2oz canola oil1# bacon, raw diced 1/2"x1/2" 6# tri tip, drained2 Tbsp grill seasoning3 cup red onion, diced 1/4"x1/4" ½ cup garlic, minced2.5 tsp cumin1 Tbsp smoked paprika1 Tbsp dried oregano

HOW TO MAKE IT:I. Add canola oil to a large heavy bottom pot and heat over high flame until

it starts to smoke. 2. Add bacon, red onion and garlic and stir until onions are translucent.

About 5 minutes. 3. Add diced sirloin and saute until meat turns brown. About 8-10 minutes. 4. Add all spices and stir to incorporate. Add cider vinegar and brown sugar. 5. Add tomato sauce and beef stock. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover pot.

Simmer for 90 minutes. 6. Remove from heat. Add black beans and cocoa powder and stir. 7. Once soup is done, cool in ice bath mixing frequently to cool faster.

The soup needs to cool to 70° within 2 hours and to 41° in an additional 4 hours.

8. When soup reaches 41° transfer to 6 soup bags, each containing 2 quarts, place in a lexan and store in freezer with label and date.

TO REHEAT:To reheat soup place bag in a sauce pot of 185° simmering water for 30 minutes.The soup bag cannot stay longer than 1 hour in water as it will affect the flavorprofile and texture of the soup. Once the soup is hot and ready for service placein a clean bainmaree. Place a lid on top and put into a steam well. There is a 4hour shelf life once the soup has been reheated.

32 CAROLINA TAILS | WINTER 201532 CAROLINA TAILS | WINTER 2016



RESCUE:: Adopt, Don’t Buy!

TAKE ME HOMEIt’s a brand new year to be extra happy, to seek out adventure and to let a little extra love into your life—especially by adopting apet! Our cats and dogs come spay-neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and each are evaluated for their behavior. Come visitCharleston Animal Society today at 2455 Remount Road in North Charleston or go online to: www.CharlestonAnimalSociety.org.

Pleased to meet you!I’m Amos. Come to the Charleston Animal Society and introduceyourself. Maybe wecould play a bit in thevisiting room whileyou’re here.

Abby here! I lovethe fabulous peo-ple at the shelter,but I bet you’repretty great, too.We could be thepurr-fect room-mates if you wanta new addition toyour home.

I’m Diamond Jr. and I can be a girl or boy’s best friend. Adopt me this Valentine’s Dayfor the love of your life—my fees at the shelter are way cheaper than Tiffany & Co.!

Like the more famous Mona, I too am known for my pretty face. I’m also housebrokenand great on a leash so adopt me and we can go for lots of long walks together.

I’m Willow and reallywant you to be myfur-ever family. Seethese precious eyes?I’m hugging you withthem right now.

RESCUEME

Pick me! Pick me! Oh, sorry, I’m Louise. I’m justso excited to meet you, and have a heart as big asmy smile. (That’s pretty big!)



BY TERI ERRICO

MeetGumby: The UncontainableDog!

Gumby (on right) is a hound mix who hasnever met a gate hecouldn’t unlatch.


When you walk into the Charleston Animal Society, youenter to a mix of howls, barks and thumping from everypup present. But not from Gumby. You’d typically find

the precious white hound mix leisurely laying on his bed, quiet,completely unfazed by any ruckus and content in his digs. He isseemingly the perfect dog. But if magicians have taught us anything,it’s that looks can be deceiving—and this dog who is fondly knownas “Houdini” is quite the virtuoso! Gumby is a sweet, sensitive dog,a lover of humans and animals alike, and also, well, an escapeartist. Yes, this 6-year-old hound can outwit any enclosure.

Houdini—excuse us—Gumby has quite the rep for being foundwandering the streets after breaking out of his crates and openingfence handles with his nose. While he’s never escaped fromCharleston Animal Society, the same can’t be said for the 10adoptive homes who have taken him in. At one adoptive home, hescaled a privacy fence by jumping onto a boat and over the top ofthe wooded enclosure. At another, he barreled through a screenedporch. When one family thought maybe a companion would bethe best solution for Gumby’s antics, they adopted a second dog.The hound still opened the gate, but the next time he just took hisnew buddy with him and they ambled the streets together!

10 Lowcountry families have tried to adopt Gumby since hearrived at the shelter in September 2014, but most of his stays haveranged a mere 2 to 4 days. His record was two months with onefamily who wanted so much to keep him that they reclaimed himseveral times—but finally they, too, conceded that they couldn’tcontain the wunderkind.

The fact is, Gumby is a master break-out artist—and he makesthe shelter employees laugh every time he returns. “He’s baaaack!”they sing. But it’s not for lack of trying. When someone is interested,Courtney Gumienny, Director of Adoptions for the CharlestonAnimal Society, insists she discloses the complete truth about thedog’s quirks, if that’s what you’d call them. “We don’t sugar coat itfor them,” she says. “Obviously at first we didn’t know about hisescaping until it happened repeatedly. Then people started givingus all this information that he escapes and gets away no matterwhat they do.”

Sherry Barr was one of the first to adopt Gumby. She lived on 16acres of land in Moncks Corner and fell in love with the doginstantly when she met him “because he was so adorable justsitting there looking at me and wagging his little tail.”

Then she took him home. “When I opened the screen door, hejumped out and ran all the way down the road! I had to go pick himup,” Barr recalls with a chuckle. “I tried to walk him back but had tohold onto a tree because he was dragging me everywhere.” Sheadmitted Gumby was too much to handle, and two days later shebrought him back. “He is an escape artist for sure! But he is a greatdog.”

With every new person that has tried to adopt him, Gumby haseither been picked back up within a few days by animal control orsurrendered. Suggestions on what he could need are often thrownout to possible adopters. He needs to be walked constantly insteadof being contained; a yard with tons of space and a fence; frequenttrips to the dog park since he loves interacting with other animals;and someone who can teach him leash manners. Barr also suggestsGumby’s owner needs a lot of patience!

“We really did think at one point he had the perfect homebecause we hadn’t seen him in a while,” Gumienny remembers,“but that was because he had been picked up by the Berkeley

County animal shelter. Some of the workers here went to offerrelief after the flooding, and the staff happened to walk throughand see Gumby.” Gumienny pauses to laugh. “They couldn’t believeit! But they didn’t want to leave him so they brought him backhere.”

But Gumby never seems disappointed when he has to extendhis stay at Charleston Animal Society—and neither does the staff.“Everybody likes Gumby because he doesn’t try anything here!”Gumienny insists. “You walk in the kennel and he’s just hangingout on his bed, acting like nothing bothers him. He loves it here.”In fact, Taylor Lawson, a fellow employee, says that Gumby lovesthe shelter’s other animals so much that he once unfastened thefence of the play yard simply so he could run around with all theother dogs. “He’s such a good dog, despite being an escape artist,”Lawson says. “He’s a gentle beast that loves humans, dogs andcats. And he has a great howl. It’s very distinct, but he only makesnoise when he wants attention or wants to be let out.”

Lawson’s co-worker, Hayley Walker, is fond of him, too. “Gumby’sa good dog that just hasn’t found the right people yet,” she believes.“He hasn’t done anything bad, he’s just sensitive and wants to bewith other people and dogs all the time. If he could be contained,he would be a great pet!” One thing is for sure, Charleston AnimalSociety will never give up on Gumby or the thousands of otherdogs they place for adoption each year.

As of press time, another wonderful family has taken a chanceon Gumby and adopted him. “I wanted to try. Gumby is such asweet dog, that he was worth the chance,” says Colin Wohlford,noting that what others have said is definitely true. “As soon as hecan, Gumby looks for any chance to escape,” Wohlford added.

The day the Wohlfords adopted Gumby, “We were in the backyardall of 30 seconds and Gumby almost flat-foot jumped the 4-footfence. He went straight over it!” Wohlford tells with a chucklenoting he has a huge yard with a fence almost entirely around it.Luckily for Gumby, the family wasn’t deterred. Instead they gothim back and are working it through by enclosing the fence andgetting a runner to keep the dog in their yard, and hopefully theirlives. “Gumby loves it here, and he and my other dog get alongreally, really well, and my kids love him,” Wohlford says sincerely.“He does have a wild spirit but he’s as sweet as can be so we’re notgiving up on him yet.”

Gumby. To know him is to love him. Here’s hoping 2016 willbring Charleston’s Houdini his “forever” home. One he can’t—andwon’t want to—escape!


ASK THE TRAINER

TRAINING TIPS:: Meow!

YOU’VE WRITTEN AND WE HAVEheard you loud and clear! You want moreinformation on cat behavior! Many of uswrongly assume that only dog owners needtraining advice, but actually, cat ownersare just as eager for behavior information.Problem is, finding help can sometimes bedifficult. There are services available,including TheCatBehaviorClinic.com whereyou can receive a training session withHarvard-trained cat behaviorist and authorMieshelle Nagelschneider. The ASPCAwebsite is also chock-full of greatinformation.

QUESTION: I have two cats, Norm andAbby Norm who both usually love eachother very much. But in the last two weeks,something has set them off and they arefighting non-stop. What do I do to bringpeace back into our household? Barbara J., Summerville

Barbara, there is nothing more troublingfor cat owners than the sounds of hissing,growling cats at three in the morning. Hereis a great step-by-step solution we foundat the ASPCA:• Separate your cats in different rooms for

several days or weeks, with separate beds, bowls and litter boxes. This way they can hear and smell each other, but don’t have to interact.

• Place the cats’ food bowls on opposite sides of a closed door. This will encouragethem to be close together while they’re doing something that makes them feel good.

• Each day, have the cats switch rooms sothat they both experience some variationand get access to each other’s scents. You may need an assistant to do this safely.

• After several days, if both of your cats appear relaxed, crack the door open one

inch. If they remain calm, open the doora bit more, then a bit more. If the cats remain relaxed, they may be ready to betogether again. But if they react with any signs of aggressive behavior—suchas growling, spitting, hissing, swatting, etc.—separate them again and follow thegradual reintroduction instructions below.

• Some cat parents have had success withrubbing a bit of tuna juice on their cats’bodies and heads. The cats become so occupied with grooming, which is a relaxing behavior, that they’re less likelyto be bothered by the other cat. If thingsgo really well, the cats may actually groom each other because they can’t reach the juice on their own heads.

Barbara, we hope this helps! If you have abehavior question regarding dogs or cats,please send it to us at:[email protected]


Kids are some of the best animal advocates sowe’ve devoted this space to young pet lovers. TIME TO PLAY!


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Answers:1. TRUE. A cat can be very happy indoors and actually much safer from disease, parasites and predators like coyotes. 2. TRUE. According to Pet MD, cats have a sensory organ at the end of their whiskers called a proprioceptor, which sends tactile signals to the brain and nervous system,

helping them to “see” in the dark, almost like kitty radar. 3. TRUE. Cats are color blind, meaning they can see some colors, but not all of them. 4. FALSE. Picking your cat up by the scruff of its neck can be painful and is not appropriate. According to Vet Street, the best way to pick up your cat under normal

circumstances is to spread your hand under his chest, and as you lift, slide your other hand and forearm under his hind end to support his weight.

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Carolina Tails Magazine | 2016 January - March