Anyone who has lost a cat can tell you that it happens so quick-

ly. The door is left cracked open for just a split second too long

and the curious kitty darts outside. Even if you notice right away,

the cat moves so quickly through the bushes that you may not

be able to snatch him up and take him back inside to safety.

What was a fun adventure quickly turns scary for the poor kitty,

as he realizes that he’s hopelessly lost with no way to find his

home again. An inside cat is often very ill equipped to handle the

dangers of being outside alone, but thankfully most are found by

a good samaritan and taken in. Often times, these individuals

turn the pet over to their local animal shelter, where the shaken

up kitty waits for his family to reunite. Sometimes though people

don’t realize that their housecat might be a little living room tiger,

but out in the real world, he’s scared and alone. They believe

that their kitty might come home on his own and some don’t even realize that their local

shelter picks up cats at all.

Big Louie came into the shelter back in November of 2013. He’d spent a month out on his

own, scared and fending for himself. He was grateful for the warmth and safety that the

shelter provided. An affectionate ball of orange fluff, he quickly adjusted to the shelter life

but deep down, he knew that there was more. He wanted a home to call his own; but not

just any home … he wanted the home; the one he’d so mistakenly escaped from in Octo-

ber. Meanwhile, his poor mama had spent weeks searching for him to no avail. She didn’t

realize that the VBAC&AC picked up missing kitties, but she searched their neighborhood

and talked to all of the neighbors. As the days turned to weeks and the weeks turned to

months, she began to give up hope for ever snuggling up on the couch with Big Louie

again. Finally, one day seven months after she and Louie had seen one another for the last

time, she felt like she was ready to try to open up her heart to another missing kitty. She

may not have been able to find Louie, but maybe she had room in her heart for another

kitty too. Louie’s people came to the shelter, searching each cage to try to find a kitty that

caught their eye. It was a shock for both cat and human when they came face to face after

nearly a full year apart. All along, Big Louie had been biding his time, sleeping lazily in the

windowsill beds of the cat colony and making all sorts of new friends. Louie’s mom was

ecstatic! She immediately adopted him back and the two went back to the home that Louie

knew and loved. Louie’s adventure lasted a little longer than most stray kitties do but we

know he won’t be forgetting it any time soon. Now safe and sound at home, Louie is a little

bit more of a homebody … though it helps that he’s now outfitted with his very own micro-

chip just in case the urge to adventure out ever strikes again.

Big Louie

July 1, 2014

Volume 15, Issue 15

Pet Tails

Inside this issue:

Bear Talk! 2

Ah Sweet Summertime! 3

Fostering Hospice Animals 4

Fostering Hospice Animals

(cont.)

5

Facebook/Twitter 5

Animal Spotlight 6

Some Animal Facts 6

Get to Know Your Breed 7

Ask the Behavior Guy 8

THANK YOU “Work Experi-

ence” Students

9

Effective Counseling 9

Meet the Staff 10

Meet the Officers 10

Meet the Volunteers 11

Volunteer Opportunities

and Miscellaneous

12

Virginia Beach Animal

Care & Adoption Center

Volume 15, Issue 15 Page 2

Bear Talk

With all the increased bear activity we have been seeing this year, this month we decided to talk

about just that, bear. So far this year, in the month of June we have had two bear captures. When-

ever we have bear activity we always receive a lot of questions. Probably the most common questions

are how did they get here and what are they doing here?

The two bears that were captured this month were both male bears and both yearlings. According

to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries whenever they receive a call to assist with a bear

that has wandered out of its comfort zone it is almost always male yearling bears. The reason for

this is because at around the age of a year and a half the mother bears kick their cubs out of the

nest. This being the first summer the bears are out on their own they have to hunt for themselves,

and most importantly, find new territory. This can be tough for young bears and they often have to

travel long distances, and branch out to find unoccupied areas.

From what our state biologist has told us, bears usually travel along a body of water. If you take a

look at a map you can see how feasible it is for a bear to travel along our inner coastal waterways all

the way from the dismal swamp. The waterways eventually lead the bear to the ocean, where it sud-

denly comes in contact with people, and quickly becomes panicked and confused. At this point it is

very easy for them to become lost and turned around in their attempt to flea civilization.

Here are some things we would like you to be mindful of during this bear “busy season.” The chanc-

es of seeing a bear in this area are slim, but possible. These bears are far more terrified of us than

we are of them. Seeing a bear is truly an awesome sight, but we ask that you be respectful of their

space. Although these animals are not outwardly aggressive towards people, they are a wild animal

and do have the “fight or flight” instinct. If you see a bear in a highly people populated area of the

city please report it to animal control so the situation can be monitored. As always we ask that you

secure your trash can lids at night, and pick up any food outside. This will deter a bear from linger-

ing in your area if there is not an available food source.

Both of our bears this year were safely captured, with the help of the state biologist. Both bears

were found to be healthy and were successfully relocated to an area much better suited for a bear.

If you have any additional questions or

concerns please feel free to contact

Animal Control at 757-385-4444 or you

can call the Department of Game and

Inland Fisheries helpline at 855-571-

9003.

Ah Sweet Summertime! ...

Long days full of cookouts, beach time and much needed vacations! But while we're enjoying the wonderful hot

weather, we need to stop and think about the fur covered members of our family. The hot weather can be hard

on them and they obviously can't handle it as well as we can. Listed below are some tips from the American

Kennel Association for the summer regarding your pets. Please make sure to keep everyone in your family safe

and able to enjoy summer!

Always provide fresh, clean water and a shady spot for your pet to lay in, especially if they go outdoors a

lot.

Doghouses aren't a great option since they can trap heat. A good idea is to fill a child sized wading pool with

water so they have a place to cool off.

Dogs, especially those with short hair, white fur, and pink skin, can sunburn. Limit your dog's exposure dur-

ing the day and apply sunblock to his ears and nose 30 minutes before going outside.

Do not let your dog drink seawater; the salt will make him sick. Saltwater can also damage your dog's coat

so make sure to rinse him off at the end of the day.

Dogs that are brachycephalic (short-faced), such as Bulldogs, Boxers, Japanese Chins, and Pekingese, have

an especially hard time in the heat because they do not pant as efficiently as longer-faced dogs. Keep your

brachycephalic dog inside with air-conditioning.

If your dog begins to exhibit signs of heatstroke, you should immediately try to cool the dog down:

Apply rubbing alcohol to the dog's paw pads.

Apply ice packs to the groin area.

Hose down with water.

Allow the dog to lick ice chips or drink a small amount of water.

Offer Pedialyte to restore electrolytes.

Check your dog's temperature regularly during this process. Once the dog's temperature has stabilized at be-

tween 100 to 102 degrees, you can stop the cool-down process.

If you cannot get the dog cooled down and you begin to see signs of advanced heatstroke, take the dog to the

veterinarian immediately.

For more tips, visit the following link … https://www.akc.org/public_education/summer_safety.cf

Have a safe, fun and happy summer!

And also be sure to be on the lookout for heatstroke. The signs to watch for include:

Early Stages: Advanced Stages:

Heavy panting. White or blue gums.

Rapid breathing. Lethargy, unwillingness to move.

Excessive drooling. Uncontrollable urination or defecation.

Bright red gums and tongue. Labored, noisy breathing.

Standing 4-square, posting or spreading out in Shock.

Volume 15, Issue 15 Page 3

Volume 15, Issue 15 Page 4

Fostering Hospice Animals

My first hospice cat was named Sal. He was an old brown tabby

cat who was on the adoption floor but who was not doing well.

When Sal came home with me to be fostered, he was thrilled to

be in a home. He was soon diagnosed with diabetes, which was

secondary to cancer. Even so, he purred all the time, slept on

the couch above our heads, would check to make sure there was

always dry food available and would come running for canned.

He would lie in the cat beds in the sunroom and watch all the

birds while lying in the sun.

Hospice care may be for weeks or months. For whatever time

the pet has left, they are placed in a home, loved on, talked to,

given canned food, sat with, slept with, given clean litter boxes

and windows to look out of, allowed to go outside (if they are a

dog), and told how great they are.

Sal lived with us for several months before his body had had enough. I realized then how im-

portant it was to give him a loving home even though it was just for his last few months. Fos-

tering him was worthwhile and the right thing to do.

Some of these animals are found stray, thin and old, and must be put on a lost hold. While

they wait, it is discovered how sweet and loving they are. Some of the animals are up for adop-

tion and it is discovered that they need hospice. Some of them/many of them may not have

known many kind words and a loving home. They all deserve that. Isn’t it great that the shel-

ter staff allows animals to go into foster? And this is where hospice care comes in.

Another cat I fostered who was in hospice

was MacGyver. I knew he probably had can-

cer when I began fostering him. He was such

a nice cat and he deserved love till the end.

He had come in stray and had had a hard life

before the shelter. Once he was in our home,

he was happy all the time. He also loved to be

with the family and you could find him in

whatever room had people in it. He purred a

lot and would meow at you when you talked to

him.

Sal

MacGyver

Have you “liked” us on Facebook? Do you follow us on Twitter? One of the easiest ways for us to let potential adopters

know about the many adoptable pets at the shelter is by using social media. We post information about adoptables and

current events at the shelter. So join the 2050 people already “liking” us on Facebook and our 601 Twitter “followers”

as we get the word out! Find us at www.facebook.com/VBanimalcareandadoptioncenter and @adoptablePetsVB on Twit-

ter and join in the conversations, and while you’re at it, invite your friends too. The more who know, the better the ani-

mals have at finding FURever homes!

GIVE US A “LIKE!”

Fostering Hospice Animals (cont.)

What I have found with the hospice cats I have had is that they are happy, relieved, thrilled

and excited to be in a loving home.

If you are interested in doing hospice, you will work with the vet staff here at the shelter and

they will see you when you need them. They are great to work with! I have also made several

late night runs to the animal emergency room after calling the foster coordinator late at night

to okay it.

A third cat I would like to mention who came to me as a

hospice cat was Pretty Boy. He was a favorite at the shel-

ter and I could see why; he was a great cat. He came home

with me and was only here a short time, but fit in immedi-

ately. He was curious about everything and went every-

where in the house within hours of being here. He got along

with the other cats and dogs, and was a big helper in the

kitchen. He loved to lie on the couch with you and lie in the

sunroom watching all the wildlife. He loved to be talked to

and petted.

I do take a break from hospice care sometimes and will fos-

ter an old healthy cat, an adult cat who may need some TLC

or, on occasion, a mama cat and kittens. Then when a hos-

pice cat is in need, I am rejuvenated and ready.

If you are interested in being a hospice caregiver to a dog

or cat, you will find it both rewarding and bittersweet. Hospice shows the animal that there

are people who love them and care about them right until the end and … that is what makes it

all worth it! - Written by Volunteer Kristen

Pretty Boy

Page 5 Pet Tails

Snapping turtles are an amazing member of the alligator family.

It is said to be endangered in North America as it is hunted for its meat.

It is difficult to catch these turtles without causing damage. They have flexible necks and can bite even when laying on their back. They also have delicate vertebrae that may break when picked up by the tail often causing death.

They are usually found in shallow fresh water such as lakes, streams, and ponds.

“Princess Peach”- Long hair Persian1406-0335

Princess is a sweet 4 year old pug faced Per-cian. Because of her long coat she must be kept inside and needs daily brushing. She is at the Pet Smart on Plaza Trail.

“Lola”- America Short coat 1406-1729

Lola is a beautiful fashion bunny who likes to cuddle, eat carrots and according to her for-mer owner, she likes to walk on a leash. That makes her one cool bunn bunn!

“Clips”- Pit Bull Terrier Mix 1404-0328

Clips is a 5 year old 60 lb boy who loves to ride in the car, chase balls and gets along well with other dogs and children. He loves a leash and Frisbees.

Page 6 Pet Tails

Roosters, male chickens, are also called cocks, and cockerels. The term rooster origi-nated in the United States.

Roosters are territorial and protect all hens and their nests within his roost. Most often from a perch 3—5 feet above the ground to see all that moves within his domain.

Roosters are known for crowing in the morn-ing when in reality they crow whenever they feel like it. Some crow all day long others on-ly a few times a day.

Since antiquity roosters are considered sa-cred in some cultures.

Pygmy Goat ‘This breed originated in

Cameroon Valley in South Africa.

A pygmy is a small domestic goat

that is kept mainly as pets.

They enjoy jumping on items,

often choosing small vehicles.

They are affectionate if treated

with respect.

They require fresh water and

will not drink it if it is not.

They need to be protected from

predators.

Males (bucks) weigh in at 60-86

lbs. with females (does) weighing

53-75 lbs.

They are happy with shelter and

open area. They are very hardy

and live through cold weather

with lukewarm water and

lukewarm food.

American Foxhound This breed is a cousin to the

English Foxhound.

They are gentle, easy going, and

get along with children and oth-

er animals. They are often shy

around strangers.

Foxhounds are active with high

energy. If fenced in during the

day, they will require several

walks followed by a game of

fetch.

Obedience training is necessary

as they will ignore commands

when following a scent.

They are known for their musi-

cal bark when hunting that can

be heard for miles. They make

“voice” when hunting but do not

make good watchdogs.

Pet Tails Page 7

Ask the Behavior Guy

On Training Seals …

Recently, several VBACAC

staff got the opportunity to

participate in the Seal

Splash program at the VA

Aquarium here in Virginia

Beach. We learned about

harbor seals and their typi-

cal life experiences, the

challenges of keeping them at the Aquarium, and finally got to participate in a training session

with the Aquarium’s seal trainers. It was a great deal of fun to assist them work with their an-

imals!

Most of the behavior they teach their seals revolve around animal husbandry, or behaviors

that are crucial to providing effective long-term health maintenance and veterinary care (such

as safe feeding practices, moving to/from enclosures, body handling by humans). One challenge

facing marine mammal trainers is how to manipulate the location of an animal that is much big-

ger & stronger than you (a typical harbor seal can weigh 250lbs). As a result, these trainers

rely extensively on positive reinforcement training techniques which are designed to reward

the animal for choosing behaviors that the trainer is seeking. Think about it…if your 250lb.

seal decides that he really doesn’t want to move onto an out-of-water platform so that your

veterinarian can draw blood, it’s not like you can physically drag him out of the pool!

During the training session, it was interesting to think about how VBACAC shares similar chal-

lenges with our animals here at the shelter. Seal trainers use a target stick to get the seal to

move to specific locations or swim in a specific pattern. Dog walkers use hand targeting

(teaching the dog to nose it’s nose to your hand) or floor targets (visual targets on the floor,

often baited with a treat) to move dogs in and around the shelter. Seal trainers condition their

seals to anticipate being physically touched by a person when the seal hears a specific verbal

cue. Dog walkers are taught to let their dog lick/eat a dog treat and then connect their leash

to the dog’s collar while the dog is eating—this is to condition the dog so that it associates col-lar touching by strangers as a positive experience. These are just a few examples but they

demonstrate the importance and viability of using science-based training methods for any ani-

mals. The science works, we just have to use those principles to guide our decision-making

about training our animals.

If you ever have an opportunity to participate in the Seal Splash program, go for it!!! It was

well worth it!

Got a question you would like addressed in a future newsletter? Email the Behavior Guy at lca-

sino@vbgov.com

Volume 15, Issue 15 Page 8

THANK YOU “Work Experience” Students

Page 9 Pet Tails

Effective Adoption Counseling for Staff and Volunteers...

Know when to listen and when to speak. You can learn a lot

about a potential adopter, their expectations and visions

of what they want in a pet, by carrying on a casual conver-

sation with them.

Become familiar with the policies of the Shelter so you can

give the correct information.

Watch to see if everyone is looking happy and interacting

with the animal. Encourage all members of the group to en-

gage with the animal they are interested in.

June marked the end of another school year for “Work Experience” students assisting throughout the

shelter. Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Center has teamed with a work experience program

since 2012.

The collaboration between the two organizations has

expanded classroom walls by providing students with

an opportunity to learn increased independence and

develop social, problem solving, and time management

skills while working within the Adoption Center and

integrating into the staff work team. With the sup-

port of a VB City Public School’s employee, students

have assisted the Adoption Center’s staff in complet-

ing daily tasks throughout the facility. The students

have become an integral part of the sheltering team

and they have assisted with stocking supplies, washing

dishes, laundry detail, unfolding newspaper, donation

round-up, waste disposal, and enrichment toy prep.

Two teams of students rotated throughout the school year so that they had continuous work experi-

ence five days a week.

The students were given a summer-break send off by shelter staff who provided a pizza party for the

group. Students will return in the fall for more work and more fun.

Volume 15, Issue 15 Page 10

Meet the Officers

Meet Animal Control Officer Andrea “Eve” Robertson …

Officer Robertson’s intrigue for animals started at an early age.

Since she can remember, she would bring home snakes and lizards

to show her siblings – who were not as impressed, and would pro-

test to their mother - loudly. Growing up on the Eastern Shore,

her aunt taught her how to care for orphaned animals -- domestic

and wild. Her cousin taught her how to ride horses and her grand-

father owned and bred thoroughbreds. Officer Robertson strived

to learn all she could about all types of animals and she started

rehabilitating wildlife in 1982.

Before coming to VBAC 19 years ago as a caretaker, she worked at

a veterinarian’s office. Very shortly after starting as a caretaker she began her career as an Animal

Control Officer and never looked back. Officer Robertson’s knowledge of exotic animals, reptiles and

equine enhanced her abilities to investigate and prosecute many high profile cases. She has received

three Class Act awards during her career.

Officer Robertson says she will continue her life’s work to educate people on the proper care and

treatment of all animals, and strives to give all animals value and love. One of her favorite things about

being an Animal Control Officer is how each day brings something new and exciting.

Meet the Staff

Meet Animal Caretaker, Susanna Hart Miller … This

month, the shelter would like to introduce you to Susanna Hart Miller,

also know as Suditi. Though she's only been here a year, Susanna has

found her place among the animals she lovingly cares for. Susanna came

from the beautiful mountains of Asheville, NC and received her B.S. in

Zoology from North Carolina State University and her M.S. in Wildlife

and Range from the University of Florida. She specializes in wildlife, do-

mestic and exotic animal care and small and large mammals and also in

birds and reptiles. Suditi loves to care for the frightened animals that

come into the shelter. The transformation from a scared and shy animal

to one that is happy and joyful warms her heart. The story of a fright-

ened cat is one of her favorites.

"A cat came into the shelter who was very frightened and aggressive. I tried to work with her, but felt she was a lost

cause. Another caretaker saw something I didn't and moved her to adoption. She has blossomed into a very loving cat

and serves to remind me to be humble and look for the good in all those I serve. "

Besides caring for the animals at the shelter, Suditi also enjoys teaching Yoga, including Restorative, Children's, Yin,

Senior and Pre/Post Natal Yoga. She wants everyone at the shelter, employees, volunteers and customers to know she is

here to serve the animals and them. Maybe next time you come in, you'll see Suditi doing what she loves, helping the

wonderful animals that come into the shelter.

Volume 15, Issue 15 Page 11

Meet the Volunteers

Meet volunteer Elizabeth Mangino …

Elizabeth (Liz) Mangino retired from the Navy after

24 years and is currently employed with the Navy as

a civilian. Prior to the Navy, Liz always worked with

animals, whether working for a vet, grooming animals,

or showing dogs in conformation and obedience. So,

after retiring from the Navy, she was looking for a

place to volunteer and decided a perfect fit was to

volunteer at the city animal shelter; so, in 2009, she

started to volunteer on weekends when the shelter

was still located at Leroy Drive. At the Leroy Drive

location, even though there was no dedicated groom-

ing area, Liz brought in her old grooming table, set up

in the hallway and bathed the animals in the sink after the dishes were done. It is here in

2009 she started to foster and to date has fostered 100+ kittens and cats. When the shelter

moved to its current location, Liz continued to work with the dogs and cats; and with a dedicat-

ed grooming room was able to groom the animals, which always enhances their chance to be

adopted quickly. Currently Liz divides her volunteer time with grooming and fostering, as well

as teaching Introduction to Grooming classes and coordinating the shelter’s Adoption Follow-up

program. Liz resides in VA Beach with her son, dogs and cats (4 of which are VBAC&AC alumni)

and of course, the fosters.

Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center

341 S. Birdneck Road

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

It’s the Law Did you know … The governing body of each county or

city shall employ an officer to be known as the animal

control officer who shall have the power to enforce all

laws for the protection of domestic animals.

Do you have a suggestion?

We’d like to hear it.

Please drop off sugges-

tions in our suggestion box

and we’ll post the sugges-

tion and the response in our newsletter.

Phone: 757-385-4444

Fax: 757-227-9687

E-mail: VBPDAC@vbgov.com

Volunteer

Opportunities:

Do you love animals and

want to give back to the

community? We have the

answer for you there are

many ways that you can

help, from walking dogs,

cuddling cats or advertising

pets that are up for

adoption. We also are in

need of foster homes to

increase the amount of

animals that we can serve.

Listed below are

volunteer opportunities…

Cat Room Volunteer

Dog Walker

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Jean Deliz at policeanimalsheltervol@vbgov.com. She’ll be

looking forward to hearing from you.

Volunteer Front Desk

Greeter

Newsletter Team Member

Adoption Counselor

PetsMart Cat Center Vol-

unteer

Foster Parent

Animal Transporter

Pet Portal (Petfinder)

Call Center Volunteer

Lost/Found Assistance

Volunteer

Small Animal Companion-

ship

Special Events Volunteer

Vet Assistant

Youth Mentor

Adoption Follow-ups

Hours of Operation:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday — 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday — 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. (reclaims only)

Thursday — 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Shelter Statistics May

2014 June

2013

June

2014

May

2013

Dogs Impounded 291 346 335 281

Dogs Reclaimed 180 169 178 159

Dogs Adopted 91 96 94 101

Dogs Transferred 13 13 5 12

Cats Impounded 287 321 350 285

Cats Reclaimed 17 19 16 16

Cats Adopted 98 86 111 78

Cats Transferred 29 15 20 15

Other Companions Impounded 21 11 51 26

Other Companions Reclaimed 1 3 3 1

Other Companions Adopted 11 14 13 27

Other Companions Transferred 0 7 8 1