Are you handy? We’re not, but even we can do this project! Our Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) needs your help in modifying our emergency shelter kennels. The kennels we have, have an interlocking system that is not very cooperative. We will be hosting a workshop on Saturday, Oct 6th from 10am-2pm at the Fair Building to modify our shelter kennels and we NEED helpers!
Lunch included.
Please contact Jess at 307-734-2441 or jess@pawsofjh.org for more info
With Hurricane Florence rearing her ugly head on the East Coast and a tropical depression expected in Southern Texas and Louisiana to follow, we are hoping for the best for all walks of life, but we are especially worried about the pets. Crowded shelters in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina have been featured in the news pleading to their local communities for help in fostering or adopting these animals ASAP. The heartbreaking truth is that many of these animals face the fate of euthanasia due to the impending risk of the shelter they are held at facing flooding, and the overcrowding the shelters will experience during recovery. Often when people are evacuated from their homes they surrender their animals to shelters. When those shelters become full and more animals are displaced during the storm these animals run the risk of being euthanized due to overcrowding and lack of help and resources. Many nonprofit rescue groups have stepped in and transported existing shelter animals to safer areas up North where rescues have room for them. There are still many more homeless pets in these danger zones that need help.
Natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, or landslides are happening every season. Dick Green, head of the ASPCA’s disaster response unit, said in a statement from a recent article by the Washington Post (link to the full article below), “We can’t stress enough how important it is to incorporate pets into evacuation plans to keep families together and pets safe.” As one of our staff dogs, Kingston, looks up at me with his “Feed me eyes,” I can’t help but wonder, WHAT IS MY PLAN? Luckily, being on the PAWS staff, I know that PAWS of Jackson Hole is ready for local families who are faced with the same question. Our Disaster Animal Response Team works with Teton County Emergency Management in times of disaster when local pets need help. When they say go, we go.
Driving by KMART this summer, you’ve seen our disaster trailer. Inside that trailer is equipment to set up an emergency shelter for up to 150 local pets. Our team is trained by an American Humane instructor yearly. Jackson has been rather lucky when it comes to natural disasters, although they seem to happen all around us. What can you do to be part of the recovery process if the Greater Jackson area is hit with a natural disaster? Become a Disaster Animal Response Team member. Be a part of the safety plan for local pets in times of disaster. PAWS is currently recruiting new D.A.R.T. team members and we are planning on hosting a Disaster Sheltering for Companion Animals weekend course in late October in Driggs, Idaho. If you are interested in learning more about the course and joining our team please contact Jess: jess@pawsofjh.org.
We hope all the people and pets in Hurricane Florence’s path are able to evacuate to a safer area. If you would like to read some of the latest articles about the efforts being made for pets in the communities that are expecting Hurricane Florence please follow the links below:
D.A.R.T. members at last year’s training weekend.
Here is your end of summer PAWS RUFF-DATE.
First paw first, we have updated our website! Check it out: www.pawsofjh.org. We especially love our new events page that will keep you in the know for upcoming events that we are participating in or hosting: https://pawsofjh.org/events/
As many of your blog readers know, PAWS of Jackson Hole has 9 community pet and people programs, and while these programs are offered year-round, summer tends to be extra busy around the PAWS office. We’d love to catch you up on what 5 of our programs have been up to this summer.
Our Spay and Neuter Voucher Program’s numbers are higher than they were last year at this time. This increase means more pet owners are spaying and neutering their pets and community cats and not allowing them to contribute to the number of unwanted pets in our communities. Last year at this time we had issued 534 spay/neuter vouchers and as we check the numbers so far this year we have issued 722 vouchers! Check out some of our recent voucher recipients:
The Star Valley Oreo Cookie kittens and their new brother
Rosco of Star Valley, WY
Ember Rose of Jackson, WY
The 3 Meow-ing Amigos of Jackson, WY
Dallise and her new mom, Teton Valley, Idaho
A TNR kitty candidate. Trapped, Neutered, Returned to their home
If you attended our Tuxes and Tails Gala this past June you were able to meet Bullet and view his story. If you haven’t watched “Bullet, the Story of a Blind Dog,” please do so via our homepage. Bullet was a special case that we approved for MedFund. Our MedFund program offers financial assistance to Teton County, WY pets and their people in need when a medical emergency occurs. We have started to grant funding for Good Samaritan cases in our sister communities. We want those who find injured stray animals to feel comfortable getting them into a medical professional. Bullet has been absolutely thriving in his new life and his rescuers Aska and Will have decided to keep them as part of their family for good. So far this year PAWS has granted MedFund assistance to 53 local pets and their people.
Bullet feeling the love after a night at Tuxes and Tails.
Blind dogs can paddle board too!
Bullet and mom Aska on a recent backpacking trip.
Backpacking for the Bullet-dog is exhausting.
Summer is PRIME Mutt Mitt season. Our Mutt Mitt maintenance team has been working hard through the summer weather, rain or shine our boys are out there! We replaced our Mutt Mitt waste cans at the beginning of June, the new cans are bigger and easy to see from afar for depositing of used mitts.
Our Mutt Mitt Maintenance Leader, Brian installing our new trash can in Game Creek.
We introduced a new PAWS Summer Trail Ambassador Team to our Education/ Outreach program. 13 PAWS Trail Ambassadors cruised the multi-use popular trails of our area donning out rewards to responsible owners and spreading the paws-itivity. We thank all of you ambassadors for your work this summer and a special meow-out to the Snake River Brew Pub and Persephone Bakery for donating the high value human rewards for our ambassadors to reward the extra do-gooders. Did you see our PAWS tent at R-Park’s Solstice party or the summer markets? How about out on the trails? We partnered with Friends of Pathways and put up our tent most Friday’s at a popular spot. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by the tent we’ll be out this Friday 9/7 at Emily’s Pond from 10:30-3:30pm. We always have treats and water for the pups and fun PAWS and Friends of Pathways shwag, face it your water bottle needs a PAWS sticker!
A rewarded pup and her Dog Friendly Jackson Hole map toting human.
PAWS Trail Ambassador, Ali Dunford heading up the King.
PAWS volunteer Hollie, and adoptable hunk Hank at the People’s Market.
Staff dog Kingston doing Trail Outreach at Emily’s Pond.
PAWS Board Member Dick Beck and Staff Member Shawn Meisl at the Farmer’s Market.
We have recently added another staff member to our PAWS team. Nancy Van Buskirk joined our staff in April as our Office and Volunteer Coordinator. Nancy has given the Jackson/Teton County Animal Shelter’s volunteer program a reboot over the spring and summer. Shelter staff is often tied up in administrative duties, adoptions, medical emergencies, and facility upkeep. Adding Nancy to manage the volunteers at the shelter has allowed volunteers to have more flexibility in their schedules and more communication with the shelter staff and potential adopters. Nancy leads volunteer orientations and trainings weekly. If you’d like to become apart of the shelter volunteer squad please email Nancy: Nancy@pawsofjh.org. Many of the long-term dog residents of the Jackson/Teton County Animal Shelter have recently been adopted. We’d like to thank all of the volunteers and staff who have dedicated their time to these animals. All of the walks, pets, training sessions, and love you gave them aided in their readiness to seamlessly transition into their new homes with their new forever families.
Current adoptable dog Nugget out on a weekend walk with a shelter volunteer.
Volunteer recruitment and appreciation pizza party. Pizza sponsored by Cutty’s- many thanks!
Domino enjoying the good life in her new mom’s car! Domino was at the Jackson Shelter for over a year. CONGRATS DOM!
Well its been fun catching you all up on some of our summer doings here at the office and out in our communities. We hope to see all of you at Old Bill’s Fun Run this weekend. You won’t be able to miss our big orange PAWS tent and our friendly dog mascot walking around the Town Square.