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Fall 2011Fall 2011Fall 2011Fall 2011
Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg, AZ
Teen Tracks is a wonderful program for animal loving teens. Every Saturday for twelve weeks
the group got together and did a fun activity from 9 am to 1 pm. On December 3 we took a field
trip to the Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg where we all did exotic animal presenta-
tions to a girl scout troop. Everyone did a fantastic job presenting their animals which included
guinea pigs, a boa constrictor, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, a desert tortoise, a ferret, a leop-
ard gecko, and an emperor scorpion. Following the presentations we were led on a tour of one of
the trails of the preserve. Along the tour we
learned about many of the native plants that grew
on the 600 acre property. Our tour guide told us
about many of the wild animals that lived on the
preserve. Some of the most fascinating being the
bats, snakes, and other reptiles that
live in the skirts of the palm trees
that grow there. After eating lunch
in a picnic area that overlooks the
beautiful property we returned to
AAWL with wonderful memories of
the gorgeous vegetation that grow
throughout the spacious preserve. I
highly recommend that anyone who
has the chance to visit the Has-
sayampa River Preserve should be-
cause it is a stunning experience that
you will never forget.
-Kati Hage
Artist’s Corner 2
Stellar Service 3
Pick of the Litter 3
For Your Consideration 4
My Teen Track Experience 5
Success Story 6
Calendar of Events 7
Home for the Howl-a-days Promotion 8
Inside this issue:
www.aawl.org/ED Education Department 30 North 40th Place Phoenix, AZ 85034 Phone: 602-273-6852 x122 Fax: 602-275-3610 Email: [email protected]
Artist’s Corner
-Jillian McNally
-Jenna Speight
Page 2 Volume 4, I ssue 1
“A shelter is no Place for Man’s Best Friend”
By Rachel Godlewski
A shelter is no place for man’s best friend
On human beings their life depends
Behind bars is no place to be
For a friend who will serve you so loyally
It makes me wonder what they’ll have to do
To make you take them home with you
To go to a home where they’ll be loved
A happy dog much beloved
So bring one home, be his best friend
And love him until the bitter end
This shelter’s only a good home temporarily
Because it’s no place for a best friend to be
Austin Love, an 18 year old from Scottsdale, AZ, has always had a love for animals - so when it came
time to complete his Eagle Scout service project it was a no-brainer. Austin contacted the education
department at the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA and asked what some current needs of
theirs were. A few of the education animals (desert tortoises, guinea pigs, rabbits and bearded dragon)
were in need of a natural outdoor space where they could run freely and eat fresh grass and produce.
Austin Love quickly got to work requesting donations of posts, turf,
plants and other materials from various home improvement stores. He gathered other boy scouts and
scout parents together in the community and on September 24, 2011 25 participants worked 8 hours
and put together a beautiful outdoor space for the exotic animals of AAWL. It is a wonderful daily
reminder of what a lot of heart and dedication can accomplish. The education animals love the out-
door space and are happier and healthier as a result. Thank you Austin Love and company!
Pick of the Litter
Kami Kami Kami Kami ---- KaziKaziKaziKazi Kami truly represents what a no-kill shelter is all about. She first came to AAWL December 22nd of
2009 - alsmost 2 years ago! Kami has unique brindle markings and is almost 3 years old. She has had a
tough time finding the perfect home. She has been adopted out and returned a total of 5 times. Rea-
sons for her return range from bad excuses (i.e. allergic, moving, etc) and some because she is dog
selective and had issues with other dogs in the home. An ideal forever family for Kami would be ac-
tive without cats and a proper introduction with any dog(s) in the home at the shelter. Volunteers
love Kami and hate to see this wonderful, energetic pooch in the shelter year after year. Please con-
sider giving this wonderful, obedient and loveable girl a place she can call home for the holidays, and
the rest of her days!
Breed: Breed: Breed: Breed: American Pit Bull Terrier Mix
Adoption PriceAdoption PriceAdoption PriceAdoption Price: sponsored
Gender: Gender: Gender: Gender: Female
Daphne is just beautiful with stunning green eyes and a silky grey coat. Daphne is patient. She sits in the cattery lobby every day on
her favorite chair gazing at passer-bys. She has done this since March 7th, 2010. Once in a while a cattery staff person or volunteer
will give her a scratch under her chin or the top of her head and she closes her eyes and purrs. She loves human attention and pets
more than anything. She is not as quick as she used to be; at 11 years young she has arthritis but gets
around just fine. Daphne is not greedy. She doesn’t care if you live in an apartment or small space—
she just wants a place of her own and to sit next to her favorite human, you. Her adoption fee has
been sponsored and she is spayed, up to date on her vaccinations and microchipped. Don’t let
Daphne spend the rest of her days waiting in the cattery lobby - please consider this fantastic senior.
Page 3 Volume 4, I ssue 1
Breed: Breed: Breed: Breed: Domestic Shorthair
Adoption Price: Adoption Price: Adoption Price: Adoption Price: sponsored
Gender: Gender: Gender: Gender: Female
declawed
Daphne the DiligentDaphne the DiligentDaphne the DiligentDaphne the Diligent
UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to UPDATE: Kami was adopted recently to
her 6th homeher 6th homeher 6th homeher 6th home————we wish her the best!we wish her the best!we wish her the best!we wish her the best!
Stellar Service
Eagle Scout to the Rescue!Eagle Scout to the Rescue!Eagle Scout to the Rescue!Eagle Scout to the Rescue!
Page 4 Volume 4, I ssue 1
For Your Consideration
LazarusLazarusLazarusLazarus
Lazarus (Rough Hebrew translation, “God has helped”) of Bethany was the brother of Mary and Martha. Lazarus was a follower
of Jesus, and died while Jesus was away. When Jesus came back, Lazarus had been dead and in a tomb for four days. Jesus was
moved by Mary sorrow and went to Lazarus’s tomb. There he had the stone blocking the entrance moved, and resurrected
Lazarus.
It was a year since the family’s dog, Buddy, died of bone cancer. My father and I went to check up on a possible adoption
puppy, Jackson (then “A2991947,” a number combination too long to remember) up from a local adoption center. Jackson and
his siblings were living and found on the street. When we got there, he seemed perfectly healthy, and we adopted him. The
next day we went over and picked him up and took him home. All that evening, he didn’t eat, and all that night, he barely
slept. The next day, Mom was alone, and Jackson barfed. Mom immediately took Jackson to the animal hospital, where he was
diagnosed with Parvovirus. She sent an email back to the adoption center and warned them about Jackson’s siblings. We had
Jackson set up at the hospital so that he would have the best chance of survival. Even so, one day his white blood cell count
dropped to 580. That day we were asked if Jackson was in too much pain that night, if the hospital could euthanize him. The
very next day, his white blood cell count was just below normal, 5,700. Eventually, he got out of the hospital. We still had to
give him medication, with time and love he recovered. Now, Jackson is a healthy hyperactive little guy, always playing or
chewing. He is now known as Jackson “Lazarus” Rucker.
The moral of the story is rather odd, but it’s to be rather thankful for the adoption system AAWL has. The Parvovirus would
have been spotted by AAWL before Jackson or any of his siblings were adopted out. AAWL holds animals for 3-5 days before
they are let to be adopted and have a full-time clinic and infirmary in place. Thus, if the other adoption center had held Jack-
son and his siblings off from adoption for more time, it would have been impossible for the dread of this situation to spread to
other, unprepared families. However, I hold no grudge against the adoption center that we went to because what happened to
Jackson and his siblings was beyond their control. All of Jackson's siblings were diagnosed with Parvovirus, and all were eutha-
nized because it was too expensive to cure. A few days after Jackson went into the hospital, I went back and helped the adop-
tion center out with some daily chores. We are very happy to have Jackson with us now. He is jumping and acting just like any
healthy puppy should. He recently went on his first walk on the mountain preserve and loved it. He chews a lot though, so he’s
lucky he’s cute.
-Jonah Rucker
JacksonJacksonJacksonJackson , Age 6 mos.
Page 5 Volume 4, I ssue 1
I have been in Teen Tracks for three years and I love it! It’s a great place to be with animals
and something really good to put on your resume. It’s really good especially if you want to
do something with animals for a living. AAWL has some amazing animals. One of my fa-
vorites is Guapo a HUGE iguana that's about 5'1 long. He is so gorgeous. He is a green
iguana but he is mostly orange.(: Guapo is so sweet. you can take him out of his cage, lay
him on your lap and pet him while talking to someone. Another of my favorite animals at
AAWL is Azriel. She is an umbrella cockatoo who is the sweetest, cutest bird ever. She is
so nice and sometimes cuddles with you. She is not a normal bird; she thinks she's a hu-
man! I suggest to anyone to join Teen Tracks and to visit Guapo and Azriel.
-Hannah Rohlf
My experience in Teen Track is one of the best memories I have. I started volunteering
with Teen Tracks when I was about 13 years old. My older sister Caitlin volunteered with
Teen Tracks. I looked up to her, she was my hero so I couldn’t wait to be old enough to do
the same things she did. I love animals with a passion so this program was perfect for me.
When I started volunteering I had plenty to learn. I took classes on how to learn dog and
cat behavior and learned how to handle the animals housed at the shelter. I learned the
importance of spaying and neutering and how the adoptable cats and dogs were placed in
their forever homes. I also learned how difficult it is to care for exotic animals. The exotic
animals at the shelter came from people who could not care for them properly and are for
educational purposes only. Through Teen Tracks, I’ve had the opportunity to observe ani-
mals being spayed and neutered and have been on the news advertising the animals that
were up for adoption. I’ve also had the opportunity to go to other agencies to learn about
their services or to do projects.
I have to say Teen Tracks has taught me a lot in life. I am 18 years old and still volunteer-
ing with Teen Tracks. I am currently attending East Valley Institute of Technology in the
Vet Tech program. I have a passion for reptiles and through this program was able to
shadow a vet at an exotic clinic in Gilbert.
If your child has a passion for animals or is interested in going into veterinarian medicine
or zoology, put them in the Teen Tracks program. This program is fun and educational.
Your child will quickly be on the right path for their future. They will be able to experi-
ence working with animals first hand and decide if that career choice is right for them.
I have fond memories of Teen Tracks and it will always be in my heart. Because of Teen
Tracks, someday I would like to have a job at Arizona Animal Welfare League.
- Ryleigh Alfonso
My Teen Track Experience
I had only worked at AAWL
for about 8 months when I
adopted my black lab Ellie. I
was working away when I saw
the behavior staff walk by my
office with a gentleman a black
lab pup, a long haired Chihua-
hua and an Aussie mix. The lab
caught my eye so I watched
what was going on and discov-
ered the man was surrendering
all three dogs. He had lost his
home and he and his family
could no longer keep their beloved dogs. I walked in the behavior office and chatted with him for a bit about the lab pup he
informed me her name was Ella (currently Ellie), she loved to swim, sleeping on the couch and liked to chew hoses. I knew full
well adopting a lab meant lots of training but I was game. My husband and I decided to foster her for a bit to see if she was a fit
for our family, needless to say we knew by the end of the weekend she was not going anywhere. She was a natural fit for our
family. At first she followed my daughter everywhere, (she previously had a little girl of the same age) and then she bonded
with our yellow lab as if they were litter mates. We knew this mischievous little girl was meant to be a part of our family. Im-
mediately we enrolled Ellie in obedience and then agility classes. A very food motivated 6 month old lab needs all the manners
they can get. Agility was a great outlet for her energy as were the trips to Cosmos Dog Park for regular swims. Ellie, along with
her new lab sister Emma were Canine Good Citizen Certified and started helping with educating children during AAWL
classes and traveling to schools to teach bite prevention.
Ellie has proven to be a wonderful addition to our family. She is a kind soul with a gentle spirit she has never met a stranger or
another dog she did not want to play with. She plays well with all my children and other animals. She still loves to swim, sleep
on the couch and for those of you who know her know that she has a bottomless stomach and no obstacle will get in the way of
her getting a snack! Occasionally my children will lose a stuffed animal to rowdy lab play but that is a small sacrifice to make to
have a loyal friend you can trust with the most precious people in your life. Ellie, Emma and our third dog Kai love spending
time in the mountains, and swimming in lakes of Arizona. Our family spends much of our free time camping with our dogs, it is
a fun time for all and a great outlet for active labs!
What happen to the Chihuahua and the Aussie you may ask. The Aussie was adopted into a loving home and through a series of
unfortunate adoptions and returns the small Chihuahua (Chewy) ended up being adopted by my Mother and Father –in-law.
He now lives in the tall pines in Northern Arizona and gets to visit with Ellie on a regular basis. No matter how long they have
been a part they are ecstatic to see each other! Who says dogs don’t know remember? These two run, bounce and play each
time they are reunited. So this is not just one happy ending but a happy ending for all three of the animals that were surren-
dered to AAWL that day! That is why we all do the jobs we do each day to help every animal find its way to its forever home!
-Michelle Ramos
Director of Education
Volume 4, I ssue 1
Success Story
Ellie & the Ramos FamilyEllie & the Ramos FamilyEllie & the Ramos FamilyEllie & the Ramos Family
Chewy
Ellie, Ty and Bailey Ramos
Page 6
Spring 2012 Schedule
Upcoming Dates:Upcoming Dates:Upcoming Dates:Upcoming Dates: Winter Jr. Camp Counselor positions open: December 27 - December 30, 2011
Fall 2011 Application Deadline (for new teens only): December 31, 2011
Orientation and First Day: January 21, 2012 (9am—1pm)
Have a good idea for the newsletter? Have a good idea for the newsletter? Have a good idea for the newsletter? Have a good idea for the newsletter? Do you have a brilliant idea for future Teen Track Times or want to get more involved in creating
art, success stories or other interesting pieces? E-mail all submissions to Rachael Gardner at
[email protected] or call 602-273-6852 ext. 122 if you have questions.
Volume 4, I ssue 1 Page 7
Things to Remember
Date Time Activity
December 31, 2012 11pm Teen Track Application Deadline
January 21, 2012 9am-1pm 9am - 10am orientation
10am - 1pm Dog 101/Remove and Return Training
January 28, 2012 9am-1pm Cat 101
Teen Track Newsletter
February 4, 2012 9am-1pm Keeper Care
Exotic Animal Training Level 1
February 11, 2012 9am-1pm Offsite: Phoenix Herpetological Society parent must transport
February 18, 2012 9am-1pm Keeper Care
Exotic Animal Training Level 2
February 25, 2012 9am-1pm Gabrielle’s Angels Visit
March 3, 2012 9am-1pm Presentation Training
Exotic Animal Presentation
Exotic Animal Training Level 3
March 10, 2012 9am - 1pm Offsite: TBD Waiting for Confirmation
March 17, 2012 8am-12pm AAWL Shelter Day
March 24, 2012 9am-1pm Teen Lead: Paws N’ Claws Kids Club
March 31, 2012 9am-1pm AZ Humane Officer Presentation
April 7, 2012 9am-1pm Offsite: MCACC East parent must transport
Waiting for Confirmation April 14, 2012 10am-12pm End of semester celebration; Open House for
friends and family
Page 8 Volume 4, I ssue 1
Home for theHome for the
HowlHowl--AA--DaysDays
Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them Every pet wants a warm cozy home for the holidays. Help them find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!find their FURRRRever homes this holiday season!!!
Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:Through the end of the year AAWL will offer special holiday pricing:
Cats overoveroverover 6 months are $10$10$10$10
Kittens underunderunderunder 6 months are $50$50$50$50
Dogs over 1 yearover 1 yearover 1 yearover 1 year are $50$50$50$50 (Donations accepted!).
Other special pricing through the end of the year!