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PAWS Outreach and Community Relations

Please direct questions or comments to info@paws.org.

PAWS Mailing Address:
PO Box 1037
Lynnwood WA, 98046

PAWS Street Address:
15305 44th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98087

Looking for a few good goose friends

In its third year, the Seattle Goose Program is again looking for volunteers to help mitigate the impact of geese at popular city parks such as Green Lake and Gas Works Park. Other targeted parks for 2006 include Madison Beach Park, Matthews Beach Park and Pritchard Park. Join us for this year's Seattle Goose Program Kick-off and Orientation on Thursday, June 8 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Armory at South Lake Union Park. You'll hear about the most effective techniques for managing geese, learn about the history of the program, and find out how you can participate. The Seattle Goose Program will only succeed with the sustained involvement of animal lovers. Contact program coordinator Donna Diduch at donnad@paws.org to RSVP for the kick-off or to receive more information if you cannot make the event. Read more about the Seattle Goose Program.

Summer hours

To handle the increase in calls from the public and the increase in wildlife patients during the summer months, PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is now open from 8 am to 8 pm seven days a week. Hours will also change for the summer at Cat City, PAWS' satellite adoption center for cats and kittens, located in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood. Starting May 30, hours of operation will be 12 to 6 pm, Tuesday through Friday and 11 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday. This will help PAWS find homes for more cats and kittens during the time of year when we see many more felines come through our doors.

Do mom a favor

This Mother's Day, as you honor your own mom, you can also help wildlife mothers by remembering a few important things.

• Babies home alone. Don't be alarmed if you find a baby wild animal alone during your ventures outside. Many species of wild mothers leave their babies alone for long periods of time, but will return when it is feeding time. A baby without parental supervision may not be an orphan, unless you see obvious signs like a dead parent nearby or the baby appears listless, cold and thin. Help wildlife moms by not "kidnapping" the baby unless you are sure. If you do find a baby you think might be orphaned, check the animal every few hours, keeping a safe distance so the parents will feel secure enough to return. If after several hours the mother has not returned, please call PAWS.
• When baby falls. Some young animals, provided they are not injured, can be returned to the nest from which they have fallen. Contrary to popular belief, parents will not reject their babies if humans have touched them. With gloves, gently place the babies back in their nest. If the nest is out of reach, create one by using a small box or plastic container with no lid, lined with grass, and drain holes poked in the bottom. Place the babies inside the open container, then secure it on the highest branch possible or attach it onto something like a fence post, as close to the original nest site as possible. Look for a location protected by other branches so the artificial nest will be sheltered from wind, rain and sun, and is less obvious to cats. Wild parents will often feed and care for babies in multiple nests. Original nests that have blown down can also be put back in the tree.
• Keep pets safely confined. Later in the summer, as babies start to venture from their nests, especially fledgling birds learning to fly, do not leave pets unsupervised in your yard. Fledglings spend a lot of time on the ground gaining strength and exploring, making them more vulnerable to attacks by domestic cats and dogs.

Click here to go through a step-by-step process on what to do if you find a wild baby animal. When in doubt about any wildlife situation, you can contact PAWS for expert advice at 425.787.2500, ext. 817.

Speaking of birds...

Don't forget about the Puget Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds May 12 and 13, featuring expert speakers (including staff from PAWS), guided outdoor birding walks, special field trips by bus and boat, workshops, and children’s activities. Most activities are free, some are by suggested donation. Visit www.pugetsoundbirdfest.org for updated information and schedule of events.

Boost your career with PAWS

Do you know someone who loves animals and is interested in gaining great work experience? PAWS is offering a new internship this summer working with our Events Coordinator for PAWSwalk on Saturday, September 9, 2006. This position will have a special focus on the planning and implementation of volunteer recruitment and coordination for the event, as well as general assistance with public inquiries, gift processing and donor acknowledgement. Click here for more information or call Brian Thurston at 425.787.2500 ext. 833.

Friends like these

PAWS congratulates Windermere Real Estate for showing compassion for wildlife when they cancelled a fireworks show over Union Bay in Seattle last Friday after learning Bald Eagles were nesting in the area. Even with months of planning and approval from the City of Seattle, Windermere chose not to move forward with the show. It is friends like these who make it possible for wildlife to thrive in our community. Thank you Windermere!

Helping Harlow

Late one night in February, PAWS staff members Julie Stonefelt and Kevin Mack were driving home from a seminar and noticed a shaggy dark figure moving along the street. Under the lights they could tell the figure was a medium-sized dog with matted, dirty fur and all alone. Julie and Kevin pulled over.

Without a leash, Julie gently lassoed him with her scarf. "To my surprise," she said, "he didn't even flinch, but remained calm. I opened the car door and he jumped in without hesitation. Boy was he smelly." They took him to PAWS.

The next day, shelter staff bathed the Chow Chow shaved off the painfully knotted fur, and named him Harlow. He immediately became a staff favorite because of his cheery attitude, gentle demeanor and sweet personality. Julie visited him often, taking him on walks around campus.

After awhile, she and others noticed he would bump into people, walls and other things as if he didn't know they were there. PAWS called on an expert friend from the veterinary community to check his eyes and found Harlow was almost completely blind. With his age around 11 or 12 years old, his sight problems, and signs of kennel cough (a treatable, but common occurrence for shelter dogs with compromised immune systems) PAWS called on one of its Placement Partners, Northwest Chow Rescue.

"We were happy to take him. He's one of the cutest things ever," said Forrest Loving who works with the rescue group. He and his wife Conny take in about 20 dogs per year in the hopes of finding them new homes. Harlow, who was supposed to be temporarily fostered, is now a member of the Loving family.

Unfortunately, once home, Harlow’s kennel cough turned into pneumonia, likely related to his age and his life of neglect and poor nutrition as a stray. Forrest and Conny nursed him for weeks, and now after two months, Harlow is strong and well again, thanks to the loving care he received.

The smallest of Forrest and Conny's other Chows (Simba--also from PAWS--Oscar and Pebbles), Harlow gets along with everybody, dog and human alike. Forrest said he's smart as a whip, fun and quite the talker, which is unusual for a breed not known for its vocalization. With partners like Northwest Chow Rescue and many other groups across Washington, PAWS and our community are able to help so many animals like Harlow. Thank you Forrest and Conny for being a part of the PAWS family.

Brighten someone's day with a PAWS E-card

Enhance your email communication with friends and family by sending them a PAWS e-greeting card. Your message will be delivered with a beautiful photo of one of the dogs, cats or wild animals for whom PAWS provided care. Choose one with a striking stare of a hawk or another with the adorable gaze of a puppy. Send a PAWS e-greeting card today!