Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

CAT TALES THIS THURSDAY! + 2010 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT IS IN!

Join Cat's Cradle staff and volunteers in historic downtown Staunton this Thursday at 7:00 PM for Cat Tales!  The shop will be hosting a meet and greet at Blue Mountain Coffee, where Cat's Cradle volunteers will be talking and answering questions about their program.  Cat enthusiasts are welcome to meet and connect over some coffee, while engaging with those of Cats Cradle's established cat rescue program.

who: Cat's Cradle
what: networking + information + java!
where: Blue Mountain Coffee, Staunton, Va
when: 7:00 PM

Cat's Cradle Christmas Ornament 2010


TA-DA! It's here!  Cat's Cradle unveils its annual Christmas ornament available now at it's downtown location!  The stained glass ornament was created by a local mother-daughter team, Heather and Robin Baker. The gorgeous handmade creations make the perfect holiday gift for the animal lover in your family. The ornaments retail for only $18 and are available at Cat's Cradle's downtown shop or via online order.  To place an order, create a post in the comments section of the donations page telling how many and what color you would like!  More informations is available on their site!

Monday, November 15, 2010

RHSPCA HOSTS WEEK OF SPECIAL ADOPTION RATES

The Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA is hosting a weeklong event called "Home for the Holidays" in which they have great give-a-ways and fun activities for both you and your pet, and it doesn't end there. Pet adoptions are only $25 the entire week!

From paw-print ornaments to lunch with your new adoptee, the SPCA along with a group of dedicated James Madison University students, are doing everything they can to make sure that the cats and dogs of the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County area have loving homes in time for the holidays, just like every pet deserves.

"I have a passion for helping animals and have volunteered at the SPCA for three years, so when I heard about this service learning project that was aimed at finding animals homes for the holidays, I knew I had to do it," said senior Heatherann McHugh, one of the JMU students who worked hard to make this event possible. "My group was given the week of November 15, so we thought this would be the perfect event to plan right before the holiday season."

The festivities kicked off today and will continue throughout the entire week. Here is the schedule of events and specials for each day:

Monday, November 15th:
"Daily Special" - The first 40 people to adopt will receive a FREE pet goody bag!

Tuesday, November 16th:
"Daily Special" - adopt an animal today and receive a FREE pet carrier, collar and leash!

Wednesday, November 17th from 5-7 pm:
"Kids Day at the SPCA" - Coloring stations, snacks, and a chance to make your
new friend a "paw-print" ornament!

Thursday, November 18th from 5-7 pm:
"The shelter goes shopping" - come visit our furry friends
at the Harrisonburg Simon Valley Mall!

Friday, November 19th:"Have lunch with your new pal"
Come to the SPCA to have a special treat with your new buddy - Door prizes will be awarded!

Saturday, November 20th:
Adopt and receive a special gift!

Come out and join in on the activities, donate to a great cause, and take advantage of the huge savings on adoption fees! Who doesn't want a new, loving, furry member of the family for the holidays anyways?

Friday, November 5, 2010

LOST CAT? HERE'S WHAT YOU DO

It's every pet owner's nightmare: realizing that your cat is nowhere to be found. Whether it's an indoor cat that got loose, an older cat that became confused, or the nerve-racking chance that something worse happened, the fact is that many pet owners experience this gut sinking reality no matter how many precautions they take to prevent it.

Just walking around Harrisonburg, you can see countless fliers of missing cats and dogs, with owners asking the public for help to find their loved one. As common as an occurrence this situation can be, fortunately there are many steps you can take in the right direction to recovering our lost pet.

About.com's Franny Syufy offers some helpful advice on what to do if you find yourself in this situation. Before you do anything else, she suggests thoroughly searching your own yard, especially if the cat missing is an indoor cat because they tend to hide close to the home when loose. Along with the usual posting of fliers, alerting local veterinarians and animal control, and visiting your local animal shelter, Syufy also has some not-so-obvious suggestions that could be the key to the return of your missing feline. She suggests placing a baby monitor on your front or back porch along with a bowl of food, and keeping the second monitor near your bed in case your cat returns sometime in the night you will hear the meowing.

Harrisonburg's local cat adoption center, Cat's Cradle, also provides some helpful guidance in their most recent newsletter on what local residents of the Shenandoah Valley can do if they discover they have a missing cat. They can provide traps that can be baited which may attract a hungry lost cat. Cat's Cradle encourages pet owners to not give up, and to not only call, but physically go to the SPCA every three days for a month.

Cat's Cradle will also assist you on putting up fliers and will support you throughout the stressful process, encouraging you to notify them when your loved one is found. Who knows, you might end up as one of their success stories in their next newsletter.