Paws Press

Let Freedom Ring! In honor of the independence holiday Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation is making it possible for more cat-lovers to become cat caregivers by waiving adoption fees on adult cats only until July 13. ARF’s Independence Day special adoption opportunity is for cats at least six months of age and older. All standard adoption criteria still applies.

ARF recognizes that adult cats are frequently overlooked in favor of kittens and wants the public to know what an outstanding companion a mature cat can be. From "terrific teens" to "super seniors", ARF has a wonderful group of loving felines who would make a purrfect addition to the family.

Your new feline companion will go home already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, wormed, checked for feline leukemia and microchipped. By adopting your cat from ARF you can not only save a life, but also enough money to buy an American flag to wave proudly over the July 4 weekend.

Summer may be a fun time for the family but the change in temperature may affect your favorite feline or devoted dog!

• If they spend time outdoors, make sure there is plenty of shade and lots of cool, fresh water. Avoid strenuous exercise on extremely warm days. Take your dog for a walk either in the early morning or evening when the sun's heat is less intense.
  
• Believe it or not, dogs and cats can get sunburned! Use only sunscreen developed for pets that is available at pet retailers or from online websites. Apply sun block (SPF 15 or greater) on the bridge of the nose, the ear tips and on the fur along the head or back.
• The Fourth of July can be a scary time for your pet. Due to their heightened sense of hearing, fireworks may cause them to panic. Keep your pets indoors during fireworks. and make sure they are wearing a readable identification tag with updated contact information. 
• If your pet becomes highly agitated, play with them to distract them. Do NOT cuddle or pet them because this reinforces their anxiety. Your vet can prescribe a sedative for a pet that is having a really difficult time.

Get your tail wagging and join ARF's Lifesavers program today! A small monthly donation adds up to life-saving support. With kitten season upon us, a donation of just $20 per month for one year will rescue, rehabilitate and find loving homes for a whole litter! As a special thank you for becoming a Lifesaver, you will receive ARF's Celebrity Pet Calendar and quarterly newsletter, as well as an update at the end of the year on how your support has helped rescue abandoned animals and find them loving, permanent homes.

Joining ARF's Lifesavers is easy! Simply download the Lifesaver Acceptance form and return via email or fax. If you have questions, contact giving@arf.net or (925) 256-1273.

Last year was a bowling alley, the year before that was a baseball game… Are you having trouble deciding what to do for your child’s next birthday party? Have no fear, ARF is the answer! ARF will throw a memorable birthday party for your child, including cats, dogs, special visit from one of our cherished therapy animals, tour of the ARF Adoption Center, educational adventure through ARF’s Learning Center and (of course) party favors! All you have to do is bring the cake and your party animals (humans only, please) for a full two hours of celebration!

During the summer months, birthday parties may be held between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. During the school year, parties are held for a two hour time span between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday evenings, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

You can help ARF and the animals by learning if your employer has a Corporate Giving Program. Many companies match funds for volunteer hours or employee donations. Not only do volunteers Gina Pelucca, Joanne Edelman, Barb Stein and Dolores McCoskey support ARF by donating their time to help animals in need, but their volunteerism gets twice the payoff due to their company’s Corporate Giving Program.

Check ARF's website for a list of companies offering giving programs and that have helped ARF in the past. Or visit your company’s human resource officer to learn if your employer has such a program if you don’t find their name on the ARF list.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., when Pyrenees Pets will be hosting their third annual Summer Doggie Benefit at Tassajara Crossing in Danville. Tina Engineer, owner of Pyrenees Pets, originated the fundraiser as a way to give back to the community and help homeless animals, and has gone to great lengths to make the event enjoyable for the entire family.

Bring your dog for canine games such as Hide-n-Seek, Bobbing for Veggies and Paw Printing. Two-legged guests will enjoy food, beverages and wine tasting while listening to music provided throughout the day by two bands and a flutist. Bid on exciting items in the silent auction or purchase raffle tickets for great prizes and be sure to visit the ARF mobile adoption van. All proceeds from this event will benefit ARF – so don’t miss out on the fun!

Tassajara Crossing is located at 3440 Camino Tassajara in Danville in Blackhawk Plaza. Contact Tina at 925-648-7387 (PETS) for more information or to purchase raffle tickets. ARF is truly fortunate to have supporters like Tina to aid in our mission to save the lives of cats and dogs whose time has run out at public shelters and bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives.

ARF's Hope Fund honors a dog named Hope who was abandoned suffering with a crippling ailment that left her back legs useless. Tragically, the shelter which took her in before she came to ARF didn’t have resources for serious medical conditions. Generous donations enabled ARF to provide Hope with surgery and treatment so she could walk on all four legs again. The Hope Fund emerged to help other abandoned animals who may have more extensive medical issues or special needs than were initially known.

With the many dogs and cats ARF has saved this year, The Hope Fund is in desperate need of your support. If you’d like to help shelter dogs and cats requiring extraordinary medical care, please make a tax-deductible donation to ARF for The Hope Fund. Through this fund you can effect a transformation that is nothing short of a miracle!

Show your ARF pride everywhere you go with an ARF Talk to the Paw License Plate Frame! Frames are heavy duty metal with chrome finish and paw print accents. 

Jan with her dog Lacey

Jan Hanson became an ARF volunteer in June 1996 after hearing about the organization on the news. From the beginning, Jan let it be known that she was willing to help where she was needed the most. Consequently she spent a lot of time using her computer and organizational skills to lighten the load in the administrative offices which were located where the ARF Thrift Store is currently located. But that’s not all!

Over these last 12 years Jan has been an enthusiastic adoption counselor, dog handler, event volunteer at Stars to the Rescue and Broadway Plaza. At annual fundraising events Jan has often been partnered with volunteer Janelle Clark who coordinates celebrity transportation. Janelle describes Jan as the “calm in the midst of chaos” because of Jan’s sense of humor and unflappability during the craziness of an event. Together this duo makes celebrity juggling look easy! Jan currently volunteers for the volunteer services department.

Jan is the proud parent of a rescued dog named Lacey who chose her at the Martinez shelter. Her feline companion, Sophie, was a rescue who selected Jan at ARF of all places!

What do you like most about volunteering at ARF?
Dogs and cats get a chance for a new life – even if it takes awhile to get that new start. Also, seeing how so many people can work successfully towards one goal.

What is your most memorable experience?
I will never forget the night seeing Hope walk on stage at Stars to the Rescue on all four legs (after having just watched the video of her months earlier). There was not a dry eye in the house because everyone knew that sweet baby had suffered and yet they also knew what a difference ARF had made for this dog.

What is your motto?
Keep your sense of humor and be constantly amazed by the mysteries and miracles of everyday life.

For a complete listing of current volunteer needs, please visit ARF's volunteer opportunities page.

Animal Care
Help input data for our newly rescued animals
What: Data entry
When: 1 hour shift available on Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Where: ARF facility
Prerequisite: Must be at least 18, basic data entry skills. Dress code requires closed toed shoes.
Contact: Kristin at kmccollum@arf.net.

Resource Center
Help Assist Callers with pet related questions
What: Assist callers with resources and referrals for pet related questions. Other projects may be involved. Training provided.
When: Weekly 2+ hour shifts available Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Saturday/Sunday Noon to 5 p.m.
Where: ARF facility
Prerequisite: Must be at least 18, good listener/able to communicate with callers.
Contact: Gaye at gmcduff@arf.net.

Please note, all volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation prior to joining any training classes. If you would like more information on becoming a volunteer, please visit Volunteering at ARF.

Current volunteers, please use the volunteer central website if you would like to sign up for any of the listed classes. If you do not have access to volunteer central, please call (925) 296-3118 or email volrsvp@arf.net. Be sure to leave your name and number along with the class you wish to attend.

Tinkerbelle	Tinkerbelle is a 1-year-old fun loving Australian Shepherd Mix. She was born blind in her left eye but sees fine with her right eye and adapts very well. An intelligent dog, she will thrive in an active home where she will get lots of mental and physical stimulation. She will be a star pupil in her training classes too!
Feline Tanya is a delightful girl who is a little shy at first meeting.  She does love attention and once you start petting her, she warms up quickly. She's just over a year old and is looking for someone who will give her plenty of chin rubs. She'll even roll over on her back for a couple of tummy rubs!		Tanya

Meet Tinkerbelle and Tanya at Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive at Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Noon - 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Find out more about how ARF's adoption program works.

Dear ARF -

We had been wanting a kitten for so long and after hearing about ARF online went and checked it out. We were impressed with how large and clean the facility is and how big the rooms are for the animals. Once we inquired about wanting a kitten we were set up with an adoption counselor who was able to answer all of our questions and allowed us to interact with the kittens. We ended up going back three times to meet with different kittens and each time we had a different counselor and they were all terrific. The third visit turned out to be the charm because we found our kitten!

We adopted him on June 6 and we named him Jazz. He was in great health from being at ARF and they had already neutered him and given him some of his shots. Plus they're affiliated with a great veterinary hospital and if you get a check-up five days from adoption it's complimentary. Also they have a shop right there at ARF where you can purchase anything you would need for your pet and proceeds go to the animals.

Jazz is the absolute perfect kitten, he's playful and loving and was happy and curious from the start. We expected him to be shy but he was exploring his new home the second he got here. He loves anything that moves and shoeboxes. He has also learned how to climb up on our bed (which is higher than most) and likes to do that at night and curl up between us. He also loves sleeping on the arm of the couch and climbing on his cat tower. He is a great addition to our family and we are so happy that we finally found our kitten.

Thanks ARF for everything you do for animals!

- Chelsea

Dear ARF,

My wife and I had a wonderful experience adopting Izzie at the Walnut Creek ARF. We appreciated the time the counselor spent with us to understand what we were looking for in our new family member. We arrived with a particular pup in mind, but thankfully realized she was not going to be the dog for us given our lifestyle. The ARF counselor suggested a dog that would be a perfect fit....and then we met Izzie! We fell in love with her beard, her inquisitive nature, and her playfulness. After getting everything that we needed from the ARF store, we headed home. Izzie was a bit apprehensive on the ride and didn't like the car too much for only about a week. Pretty soon, a car ride equaled a trip to the dog park, and now we can't get her out the back seat. Our most enjoyable experiences with Izzie have been at Point Isabel in Richmond. We weren't sure how Izzie would do given her playfulness and eagerness to "explore". However, it’s been great! Izzie is the first dog to run up to her fuzzy friends and give a game of chase. She runs and runs and runs and runs and runs, but always checks to see that Claire and I haven't disappeared. She swings by for a quick pet and maybe a doggie treat or two and then returns for more. Just today, Izzie discovered water. More than anything, she loves to splash. She sprinted up and down the shoreline at Point Isabel biting each wave as it came ashore. Fortunately for us, she also loves the hose. Because, you see, a morning in the Bay leaves Izzie pretty stinky, and so we always follow it with a game of "chase the spray". It leaves Izzie drenched, and clean! After a nice towel dry, Izzie is as good as new! We're making great progress with sit, down, out, down, wait, fetch, and come. Hopefully soon, Izzie will enjoy some time on the agility course. Claire and I became convinced of her agility skills when once during a chase, Izzie ducked left and then reversed course by jumping right over the top of a 70 lb. dog! When all of the other owners asked if we trained Izzie to do that, we said "Of course!" with a wink. Thank you, ARF, for filling our days with endless fun and our nights with puppy snuggles.

Brian and Claire

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