Can you believe it is Febru-

ary already? I feel like we

just finished putting the

Christmas decorations

away and now I'm finding

red and pink hearts at

every store we walk into!

This is a HUGE year for

the South Plains SPCA. We

are just days away from

getting our non profit

status and we are sending

some of our best and most

passionate members to

Animal Cruelty School. By

May we will have our first

Humane Investigator, and

by the end of the year we

are hoping to send 3-4

more.

What difference does this

make to the South Plains?

Well, we will be enforcing

animal safety, preventing

animal cruelty and educat-

ing the public on being a

responsible pet owner in

the South Plains area. We

will work in cooperation

with local city authorities

and county officials to pre-

vent any animal abuse or

cruelty.

This is not limited to just

Lubbock city limits, but

includes the whole South

Plains area.

If you would like to donate

to the cost of sending our

staff to Animal Cruelty

School, please email

info@spspca.org, donate

directly on adoption days,

or click on our ChipIn or

PayPal donate tab on our

Facebook page.

Our goal is to make the

South Plains a more ani-

mal friendly region and to

have our residents edu-

cated in responsible pet

ownership.

Jolynn Payne

President

Public Microchip

Clinics

Don’t forget! We offer a

public microchip clinic on

the last Saturday of every

month during adoptions at

our office. 5724 40th Street

The next microchip clinic

will be Saturday, February

23, 2013.

Microchips are only $20.

Wanted: Fundraising Coordinator

We are looking to add a

Fundraising Coordinator to

our organization. This vol-

unteer position would re-

quire an outgoing person

that doesn't have a problem

talking to strangers about

donations or participating

in an event. This person

would take donation jars to

places of businesses along

with collecting from them

on a weekly basis. We need

someone who can imple-

ment new fundraising

ideas, post flyers on Face-

book, and motivate other

volunteers to participate.

If this sounds like some-

thing you’d be great at,

please email

info@spspca.org. We’d love

to talk to you!

Doggie Dilemma 2

Featured Pet 2

Escape Artist Help 3

Boxer Overload 4

Happy Tails 4

Enrichment for your

Pet

5

Start off on the Right

Paw

5

Inside this issue:

Exciting Year for the South Plains SPCA

The PawPrint

February 3, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 3

News to Wag About

Have you been considering adopting a

new pet? Are you not sure what breed

or size dog you are interested in? Has

it been years since you had a puppy?

Have you thought about a cat but

don't know if you are a cat per-

son? Fostering can be a great way to

experience different types of dogs or

cats. Fostering can be like a test

drive, lets say you are not sure if a

puppy would fit into your life-

style. You can foster a puppy, so if a

pup wasn't for you chances are the

puppy would be adopted quickly or we

can make a foster swap. Some breeds

are not suited for everyone. Let's say

you have always dreamed of owning a

terrier, you could foster one. If you

learn you love terrier personalities

but the one you have isn't for you you

can foster till the dog's forever home is

found. You can tell us your prefer-

ences and we will let you know when

that type of dog is available. If you are

fostering till you find your perfect

match let us know. We will try to

guide you in the direction you want to

go.

We do not assign animals to foster's,

we ask them if they would be inter-

ested in fostering that particular ani-

mal. We also have a foster Facebook

page that we post pics of available

animals, fosters can ask questions,

and give updates on the animals. We

also post upcoming adoption events

and wellness clinics. Fosters always

get priority if they want to adopt the

animal they are fostering. No need to

feel guilty for adopting, we are

thrilled when any animal finds its

forever home. Many have added new

pets because of fostering. Some con-

tinue to foster, others volunteer, some

just spread the word about fostering

and adopting. No matter what you do

you know you have helped save lives.

Corrie Clark

Foster Coordinator

ment. He is good with other dogs but

he has to warm up to them and he is

good with older children. Once Clyde

gets to know you he loves to be in your

lap and give kisses! If you are inter-

ested in adopting Clyde email adop-

tions@spspca.org to set up a meeting.

Clyde is a 2 year old male Terrier. He

was found with his friend Bonnie run-

ning around Bowie Elementary school

for 2 weeks before anyone could catch

them. With some patience and a

yummy snack (cheese sticks) Bonnie

and Clyde were rescued! Clyde is go-

ing to need a patient person who is

familiar with terriers who will give

him a few days to get used to you and

get comfortable in a new environ-

Fostering Can Help You Choose Your Next Pet

Clyde

Featured Pet—Meet Clyde

Dear Pawsitively Perturbed: It sounds

like your mom is just trying to cut

and/or grind your nails. This is an

important part of puppy upkeep; as

when dog nails get too long they can

hurt you or others. Once a nail gets

too long it is hard to get them short

again, as the cuticle has grown out, so

it is good to cut them frequently. In a

perfect world, all puppies would have

their paws played with and get used

to being handled. But for those pups

that put up a good fight, a good

groomer or vet can

get it done for mom.

Wendy Florence

Intake Coordinator

Dear SPSPCA: Every couple of weeks

my mom likes to grab my paws and

attack them with these weird scissors

or sometimes even with this loud

spinny thing. All I know is I don’t like

it & don’t know why she does it.

– Pawsitively Perturbed Puppy

A Doggie Dilemma—Letter from a Puppy

Page 2 The PawPrint

Many dogs are content being in the

back yard just hanging out all day

until their people return home.

There are a few dogs that want to see

the world and their people spend time

searching for their wandering pet and

money on ways to keep them inside

the fence. Here are a few tips to keep

your jumper or digger in. Neuter your

male dog. Males can smell a female in

heat within a 5 mile radius! Decrease

the motivation to escape by neutering.

Inspect your fence for weak spots and

the ground for low spots or holes.

Make necessary repairs to your fenc-

ing like patching holes and replacing

pickets or sections of chain link. Dig a

trench and bury 3 foot of chicken wire

under the fence for diggers. Move any

objects like chairs, tables, the dog-

house or wood pile away from the

fence to keep the jumpers from using

these items as an escape route. Check

your gate latch – some dogs can figure

out how they work and let themselves

out. Change the latch or use a pad-

lock to secure the latch. If your dog

still escapes the use of an invisible

fence may be the next option to ensure

it stays in the confines of the yard.

Also adding a friend for the dog may

alleviate some of its boredom and

keep it in the fence.

Any pet can become lost or missing

and the best way to make sure they

come home is to microchip your pet.

Be sure to register your information

with the microchip company.

Carrie Wright

Lost and Found Coordinator

Ways to Keep Your Escape Artist at Home

heeler formerly known as Cowgirl)

was adopted through the SPSPCA.

You'll see me at the adoption events

on most Saturdays, and I'll often be

the one answering your questions on

the Facebook page. If you haven't

joined us on Facebook yet, please do!

The address is www.facebook.com/

SouthPlainsSpca, and it's quite an

active fan page, with lots of things

being discussed each day. We antici-

pate having over 1500 'likes' by the

end of January. Watch for information

about our new, improved website, too!

If you have questions or comments for

me, you can reach me via the Face-

book page, or by emailing

lynda.r@spspca.org. I look forward to

hearing from you!

Hello from the technical department.

My name is Lynda Reid, and I've met

a lot of you through volunteering at

the Saturday adoptions. I'm going to

be helping the SPSPCA as we develop

our website and Facebook page, and

I'll be helping Jolynn with research,

mailings, etc.

My husband John and I have five

dogs, all rescues. Our newest family

member, Chloe (a playful little blue

Volunteer Spotlight — Meet Lynda Reid

Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 3

Fostering isn’t a lifetime

commitment

It’s a commitment to saving a

LIFE

According to the AKC list of most

popular dog breeds that was released

at the end of January, Boxers rank #7

in popularity. They have held steady

at that position, fluctuating between

numbers six and seven, in popularity

over the last several years. Why then

are there so many of them in the

Amarillo Shelter? This is a question

that we hear often.

The Amarillo Shelter averaged three

or more Boxers a week in 2012. We

had hoped that 2013 would be a better

year but to date the shelter has aver-

aged four or more Boxers per week;

this far exceeds the number of Boxers

at any of the other shelters in the re-

gion.. One week they had six Boxers

in the shelter. The majority come in

as strays, some of which have owner

info either through a tag or micro-

chip. Sadly, many of them are never

reclaimed.

The only explanation that anyone as-

sociated with the shelter can come up

with to explain the number of Boxers

at the shelter is the possibility of a

breeder(s) in the area. However, this

still does not answer why so many of

them end up at the shelter. Perhaps

people take home these cute little

Boxer puppies and do not understand

the Boxer personality or how big they

get.

Some of these Boxers come in appear-

ing to be healthy some are not so for-

tunate and have injuries or they are

underweight or emaciated. Some

appear to be well cared for and some

seem to have been on their own for

awhile, and they range in age from

under a year to in their senior

years. One Boxer boy that was

brought into the shelter in January

had a chain that had been welded on

and had to be cut off. Oddly enough,

several months ago a female boxer

came into the shelter wearing the

same kind of chain as the male's,

welded on and had to be cut off.

The South Plains SPCA has

previously pulled a litter of Boxer mix

puppies from the Amarillo Shelter,

and they hope to be able to bring some

of the Boxers from there into the

system in the near future. If you are

interested in fostering or adopting a

Boxer, or any other dog from a shel-

ter, please contact

shannon.g@spspca.org.

Shannon Garrett

Shelter Coordinator

mine that were looking for a new fam-

ily member of the four legged variety.

I snapped a cute picture of Jake and

sent it to them. They were super in-

terested and I arranged a meeting and

home visit. They took to him immedi-

ately, and he got along really well

with all the animals. Now Jake lives

out at Woodrow Ridge Equestrian

Center with his new owner, Toby, and

his extended “family” Lindsey and

Rhett, and his “siblings” Peanut, a

Jack Russell; Guido, a Corgi/Jack

Russell mix; Drake, a Lab; and G

I met Jake, a Aussie/

Border Collie, on my

very first visit to the

South Plain SPCA

office. I was attending

a meeting and Jake

was hanging out in

the front office wait-

ing to find his forever

home. He struck me

as such a wonderful dog, laid back for

his breed, and so pretty and immedi-

ately I knew he would be one that

would be perfect for some friends of

-Dub, a Mini-Aussie mix. He is living

the good life with his new family in

his forever home.

Tracy Cowin

Adoption Coordinator Assistant

.

Boxer Overload at Amarillo Shelter

Jake with his new family

Happy Tails — Jake

Page 4 The PawPrint

Recent boxers at Amarillo Shelter

(photo courtesy of Amarillo

Shelter)

Pets often get stuck

into a routine rut.

They like their

lives to be kept ex-

citing and eventful

just like we do! En-

richment is a great

way to keep your

pet’s life interest-

ing, rewarding, and

fun!!! Enrichment

is anything that provides stimulating

and challenging environments, ob-

jects, and activities for animals. En-

richment can benefit the animal’s be-

havioral, physical, social, cognitive,

and psychological well being. There

are several categories of enrichment

that you can use to help make your

pet’s life more interesting: sensory,

food, toys, environmental, social, and

training. Try to find new and exciting

things for your pet each day to help

strengthen the bond between you and

your pet. Make sure anything you use

is safe for your pet! Here are some

ideas to get you started:

*Leave the TV on with animal or

nature programs

*Freeze ice cubes with added toys,

spices or scents in them

*Play sounds of nature audio

recordings

*Rearrange the room or yard your

animal plays or stays in

*Put a treat or small amount of pea-

nut butter or cream cheese inside a

Kong or other toy

*Freeze a puree of blended pet food

and water to make a “pet”-sicle

*Hide your pet’s toys around the

house or roll them in old towels for

them to get out

*Rotate your pet’s toys daily so they

are getting “new” toys each day

*Blow bubbles to them

*Play with a laser pointer dot

*Set up play dates with other

“friends”

*Teach your pet new tricks

*Take your pet to a new place or to a

local pet store

*Place an old boring toy in your pet’s

food bin then give it back a day later

*Play with your pet!

BJ Buffington Education Coordinator

iar sights, smells and sounds. He will

be confused, stimulated and a little

frightened. He faces a big adjustment

as he learns his way around and de-

velops relationships with his new fam-

ily. Some undesirable behavior may

result.

Don't panic! By modifying or redirect-

ing his actions, you can help the dog

become a solid citizen in a few weeks.

Dogs have an amazing way of making

people happy. You can enjoy all the

benefits with some well-directed

efforts to help your dog adjust to life

in your new home. We are committed

For a rescue dog, the first few weeks

in a new home are a critical transition

period. How well you manage the

dog's behavior during this time will

determine whether he develops into a

well-behaved, loving pet.

Adoptive owners view a dog's new life

in their home as a wonderful change

from a shelter pen, but the transition

presents some problems for the dog.

The transition brings a change in the

dog's daily routine and caretakers. In

the new home, the dog suddenly faces

a new set of social companions in a

new environment filled with unfamil-

to our dogs and encourage new adopt-

ers to stay in contact with their post

adoptions coordinator to work through

the usual training issues that may

arise during the adjustment period.

The coordinators of the South Plains

SPCA are all available to assist in

this transition. Contact us anytime.

Postadoptions@spspca.org

Nancy Swinford

Post-Adoption Coordinator

An Enriching Life

The SPSPCA helps Adopters Start Off On the Right Paw

Page 5 The PawPrint

5724 40th Street

Lubbock TX 79404

PO Box 1034

Wolfforth TX 79382

Phone: 806-445-6317

Email: info@spspca.org

www.spspca.org

Everyone can do something to help

save a life!

The mission of the South Plains Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is to promote the highest standards of animal welfare, educate pet owners, and prevent animal cruelty on the

South Plains.

We are always looking for volunteers! If you’d like to join our great group of volunteers, please email volunteer@spspca.org. No matter how much time you have, we have a place for you!

Board Members:

Jolynn Payne –President

Christena Stephens– Vice President

Dennis Kinman– Secretary

Sandy Abbe– Treasurer

Coordinators:

Intake– Wendy Florence

Foster– Corrie Clark

Office Mgr/Foster –Stacy Kinman

Adoption– Cara Fetsch

Wellness– Kenley Curry

Post Adoption– Nancy Swinford

Lost and Found– Carrie Wright

Education-BJ Buffington

Volunteer-Jennie Radulescu

Shelter—Shannon Garrett

Vet Tech– Ashlie Steward

Vet Tech— Stephanie Marshall

Accounting– Connie Bird