|
 In this issue:
A Home for the Holidays
To feed, or not to feed?
Holiday shopping at PAWS
Still time to give at work
Looking to rent a place with your pet?
Winter supplies needed
Meet the Varied Thrush
A Home for the Holidays
The streets are no place for an elderly lady like Allyson, a
12-year-old Corgi/Collie mix. Luckily, a kind person who found her
wandering as a stray brought her to PAWS. Given how difficult it can be
for older dogs like her to compete with younger pups up for adoption,
PAWS staff began looking for options to send Allyson to an outside
rescue group. But after only 13 days at PAWS, the Starrs picked her as
their first family dog.
When asked why they chose Allyson,
Brian Starr said his son liked her the best. She's already
housetrained, mellow and plays really well with the kids. In addition,
Brian said, "Shelter dogs just seem to appreciate you more, as if they
know what you did for them."
Happily, Allyson will be spending this
holiday in the comfort of her new home. This year, consider making
another homeless cat or dog part of yours. Experience the joy of
unconditional love by visiting PAWS to meet some furry friends, and
give the animals in our care a loving home for the holidays. Adopt today!
To feed, or not to feed?
You care deeply about the wildlife in your community, and as the days
grow darker and colder, the temptation to feed them grows stronger.
Although putting out food for wild animals can feel like the right
thing to do, it actually may cause more harm than good.
Providing them with "unnatural foods,"
such as bread, pet food and scraps from our own meals may actually
cause digestive problems, as well as encourage animals to become
dependent on people for food---the last thing you want to do. Read more
about the effects of feeding wildlife.
 To help wildlife, consider the following instead:
- Speak up for wildlife habitat protection in your local and state government.
- Landscape with native plants that provide natural sources of food and shelter. Learn more about native landscaping.
- Keep your cats indoors or provide them with an escape-proof outdoor enclosure. Even a well-fed cat will hunt.
- Volunteer at PAWS or another wildlife rehabilitation center.
Read about many more ways to help wildlife and other animals in your community.
Holiday shopping at PAWS
Order your gifts and help animals at the same time. Cool PAWS logo
gear, PAWS 2009 Calendar, and unique gifts for those who have
everything. Get a head start on your shopping today at PAWS Store.
Still time to give at work
 Automatic
payroll deduction is an easy way to give to the animals. There is still
time to donate through your employer's workplace giving campaign, and
your gift will go a long way to help the animals in our care. For
example, with a pledge of $210---less than $18 a month---you can feed
all the dogs and cats at PAWS' shelter for one week.
For more information on your workplace
giving program contact your employer's human resources department, or
PAWS' Brian Thurston at 425.787.2500 x256 or BrianT@paws.org. Be sure to choose the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Lynnwood when listing your charity of choice. Thank you!
Looking to rent a place with your pet?
It's a tight rental housing market out there, making it harder for people with pets to find a place to live. Check out these tips for renters and these online listings for housing that allows animals.
Winter supplies needed
As we head into winter, PAWS needs a few extra supplies to help us
maneuver through the dark, chilly days. Especially needed right now are
new 4-to 5-foot cat trees for the cats and kittens to lounge and play
on at PAWS Cat City (no 6-footers please). We recently had to throw out
all that we had. See our complete winter supplies wish list, and thank you for your generosity!
Meet the Varied Thrush
A Varied Thrush in care at PAWS.
Even though it's chillier outside, you can still find a number of
interesting birds to watch in your parks and neighborhoods, like the
Varied Thrush. This species of bird is what you call an altitudinal
migrant---they usually spend summer in the mid to higher elevations and
winter in the lowlands.
As PAWS' naturalist Kevin Mack puts it,
a Varied Thrush looks a lot like a robin dressed up for a night on the
town---with the beautiful black and rust coloring. Listen for the
bird's distinctive, metallic whistle on different pitches. In winter
look for the Varied Thrush in all types of forests, usually under more
dense cover, or in ravines especially near streams.
There is more on Varied Thrushes, including audio of their call, on the Seattle Audubon's BirdWeb.
|
