That is how you would describe Snick-

ers. A smart, happy girl just waiting for

a family to swoop her off her paws and

take her home to love forever. Snickers

came into the shelter as a stray in early

February. Day in and day out she hope-

fully watched and waited for her family

to walk through the doors and find her.

When the days grew longer and longer,

hope of Snicker’s family reclaiming her

began to dwindle. The hope now was for

a new family to fall in love with this

sweet, little tan Labrador mix; to see her big doe eyes and sweet nature and offer her a

place in their home and heart.

Snickers still watched the door, though, never once giving up on her family. However, no

one knew just how long Snickers had been missing her family and just how long that family

who never gave up on her either had been missing her.

Suddenly, one day, a family called into the shelter. They’d seen Snicker’s picture on the

Petfinder website as an adoptable pet. They’d stared and studied the picture of the

little Labrador mix that had been absent from their home but not their heart for a very

long time. Finally, they realized that it was a picture of the pup they’d been missing for

months and months and months. They came to the shelter as quickly as they could; thrilled

to see their beloved pup’s face again. And nobody was happier than Snickers as she wiggled

all over the lobby, thrilled as she could be to finally be reunited with the family that she’d

never, ever given up on finding.

Nobody but Snicker’s knows where she spent all of those months away from her family but

it’s a safe bet that Snickers will spend the rest of her days being loved and doted on

by her grateful family. It is also a safe bet that Snickers will find herself on a very short

leash! I think even Snickers would agree that her adventuring days are behind her!

Cute As A Button

May 1, 2014

Volume 14, Issue 14

Pet Tails

Inside this issue:

Wildlife Trappings 2

Summer’s Coming 3

Facebook/Twitter 3

Special Events 4

Animal Spotlight 5

Some Animal Facts 5

Get to Know Your Breed 6

Effective Counseling 7

Meet the Staff 8

Meet the Officers 8

Meet the Volunteers 9

Volunteer Opportunities

and Miscellaneous

10

Virginia Beach Animal

Care & Adoption Center

Volume 14, Issue 14 Page 2

Wildlife Trappings

Wildlife trapping is quickly becoming the new hobby sport for a lot of people in Virginia

Beach. Animal Control responds to hundreds of trapped wildlife calls a year. Since trapping

calls continue to increase, we thought this month we would take some time to educate you

on Animal Control’s trapping policy, and give you some helpful tips that may help you with

wildlife in your area.

We get a lot of people confused as to why they would have wildlife in their residential

neighborhoods. We’ll let you in on a little secret — wildlife is everywhere throughout the

city of Virginia Beach. You may not see them regularly, but they are around. Some of the

most common wildlife in the city are raccoon, opossum, and fox; but some of you will be

surprised to know that along with your common wildlife we also have coyote & bobcat. We

even had trapped skunk last year, which surely took us all by surprise.

Due to the increase in trapping calls the City of Virginia Beach implemented a new trapping

policy last year. The policy essentially states that Animal Control will respond to a resi-

dence no more than six times to service healthy wildlife in traps. After you have reached

your six trap limit the city requires that you call a wildlife trapping service. If you believe

you have trapped unhealthy or injured wildlife, Animal Control will respond out to assess

the situation, even if you have reached your six trap limit. It is illegal in the state of Vir-

ginia to trap and relocate wildlife to another area.

Our overall goal is to teach the public how to co-exist with the wildlife in their area. Some

helpful tips we would like to pass along include making sure your trash can lids are securely

closed. If you happen to feed pets outside please make sure their feeding bowls are picked

up after they are done eating. Try to avoid having bird feeders out, or bring them inside

for the night. Most animals are opportunistic; if you leave food out they will find it. Close

up all openings under and into your buildings. Animals look for places to den and raise their

young; don’t give them that chance. Clear overhang tree limbs or branches which may be

providing wildlife access to structures. If you have fruit trees in your yard try to keep all

fallen fruit off of the ground.

Sometimes just taking a couple extra minutes, and a few extra steps is all it will take to

keep the peace between you and your wildlife neighbors. If you have any questions please

feel free to call Animal Control or the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries. We contin-

ue to encourage the citizens of Virginia Beach to enjoy their local wildlife from afar and

maintain a healthy respect for them; after all they were here long before we were.

Summer’s Coming ...

Spring is here and summer is fast approaching! These next few months are crucial for

pet care and safety. Here are a few tips for summer pet care from today’s leading ani-

mal trainers:

Never leave your pet in a parked car – not even with the car running on air condition-

er. This invites organ damage, theft, and death.

Humidity is also important – animals pant to evaporate moisture formed in their lungs,

which takes heat away form their bodies. You want your animals to be able to cool

themselves, or they risk heat stroke.

Limit exercise on hot days – exercise in the early morning or late evening, and bring

water.

Keep dogs cool from the bottom up – Dogs in particular have heat sensory in their

paws, so focus on cooling their paws and stomach before their back.

Look for heatstroke signs – heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid heartbeat, difficulty

breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, excessive

salivation, vomiting, deep red tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness.

Heatstroke treatment – move the animal to the shade, apply an ice pack to the head,

neck, and chest, and run cool water over the animal. Give small amounts of cool water

or let lick ice cubes. Go to the vet immediately.

Have you “liked” us on Facebook? Do you follow us on Twitter? One of the easiest ways for us to let potential adopters

know about the many adoptable pets at the shelter is by using social media. We post information about adoptables and

current events at the shelter. So join the 2050 people already “liking” us on Facebook and our 601 Twitter “followers”

as we get the word out! Find us at www.facebook.com/VBanimalcareandadoptioncenter and @adoptablePetsVB on Twit-

ter and join in the conversations, and while you’re at it, invite your friends too. The more who know, the better the ani-

mals have at finding FURever homes!

GIVE US A “LIKE!”

Volume 14, Issue 14 Page 4

Special Events — Attention Volunteers!

Special event season is here and we need your help!

As many of you know, we are down two full time employees in the shelter and yet

we are going to maintain our schedule of off-site events. As you may or may not

know, off-site events not only give the animals another chance at a FURever

home, but they also get out message out to the community on a more personal

level. People like meeting the animals and talking to staff and volunteers away

from the shelter and, it has been our experience, that off-site events are great

recruiting tools for new volunteers!

Please consider helping with these scheduled events:

May 2-4 Annual “Cinco de Meowo” at the shelter

May 3rd Regal Cinemas 1100-2

May 10 is the Equi-Kids Run with the hounds

May 17th The annual K-9 Karnival at Mt. Trashmore from 10-3

May 18th beginning at 1 – Bark in the Park with the Norfolk Tides

June 7th – Norfolk SPCA Dog Walk 9-1 at ODU

And speaking of off-site events, we have an opening for two people to join us on

the Special Events team. This team is responsible for planning special events

both on and off-site. Therefore, if you would like to join this creative bunch,

please email Wayne Gilbert at wpgilber@vbgov.com.

See you on the road!

There are more than 300 species of parrots. Parakeets, macaws, cockatoos and lovebirds are all parrots.

Parrots range from 4 inches to over 3 feet long.

Some species of parrots live up to 70 years.

A mother parrot usually lays 3—5 eggs. Baby parrots are born featherless yet at 8 weeks old some parrots are ready to fly.

About 90 species of parrots are at risk of be-coming extinct. Selling wild birds is against the law so make sure your pet store is reliable.

“Brokaw”- American Staffordshire 1402-0752

Brokaw is a handsome one year old 65 lb hap-py boy. He knows basic commands and loves to play. He is very intelligent and appears to be house trained.

“Pretty Pete”- Parakeet 1403-0953

Pretty Pete is a 3 year old male parakeet that will make a great pet for a child or as a com-panion for anyone (except maybe a cat). He has an adoption fee of $15 so he won’t be here long.

“Gaston”- Domestic Short Hair 1403-0021

Sweet Gaston was found on Baltic Ave. He is around 4 years old and a little shy. He is a loving cat that comes with a bonus—he has extra toes.

Page 5 Pet Tails

Llamas have a fine undercoat which can be used for handicrafts and garments. The coarser outer guard hair is used for rugs, wall-hangings and lead ropes.

Llamas live as a family and they take care of each other. They will often hum to each other as a form of communication.

A cria (from Spanish for "baby") is the name for a baby llama. Most births take place be-tween 8 am and noon, during the warmer daylight hours.

They are 30 lbs. at birth and grow to 450 lbs.

Gordon Setter

‘This breed was developed in

Scotland and brought to the

United States.

They are calm and dignified but

also have a silly side and a

demanding side.

Setters have long memories,

remembering what they learned

for a long time (good or bad).

They are sensitive and resist

harsh handling. They will brace

themselves and refuse to move.

They require brushing twice a

week to keep their silky coat

tangle free.

They are good with children if

raised with children.

Males weigh in at 55-85 lbs. with

females weighing 45-70 lbs.

They are very loyal to family.

Braird

This breed is named for the

Brie region of France. He was

the official dog of the French

army as messenger, sentry dog,

and search and rescue for medi-

cal corps.

They have a light supple gait,

like a large feline, able to

sprint, turn abruptly, and make

sudden stops.

Mental exercise is just as im-

portant to this thinking breed.

They have been known to herd

by poking or pushing other pets

and people with their large

heads.

Their rustic coat needs a com-

mitment to grooming.

This breed also does not forgive

harsh handling.

Pet Tails Page 6

What is in effective Adoption Counseling?...

Includes good Customer Service.

It is highly suggested that all household members meet

the pet before adoption. This ensures that all family

members are supportive and committed to the adoption

decision.

Staff and Volunteers will be honest about any issues

the animal has, such as; not good with other cats, does

not like other dogs, has separation anxiety…etc.

Let the potential adopters know that there will be an

adjustment period when they adopt an animal, and their

patience will be needed. Staff and Volunteers at ACAC

will gladly assist with tips and advice on how to make

the transition smooth and enjoyable.

Please consider volunteering as an

adoption counselor. The shelter is in

need of adoption counselors, greeters

and shelter guides! For more infor-

mation please refer to page 10.

Page 7 Pet Tails

Volume 14, Issue 14 Page 8

Meet the Officers

Meet Animal Control Officer Casey Harrell … She has been with Virginia Beach Animal En-

forcement Unit for a little less than a year. She grew up

in Northern Virginia and obtained a bachelorette of sci-

ence degree in Biology from Radford University. Officer

Harrell has always wanted a career that would allow her

to work with animals. Coming to work as an ACO with the

VB Animal Enforcement Unit has fulfilled her dream. Of-

ficer Harrell has thoroughly enjoyed her rather short

time here as it gives her great satisfaction that she can

help animals and people on a daily basis.

One of Officer Harrell’s most memorable moments thus

far was removing a healthy raccoon that made his way

into a home and also tried to take up residence there.

The homeowner of course was not too pleased with this.

So Officer Harrell humanely captured and released him

out into the woods behind the home so he could find a more appropriate place to live.

In her off time Officer Harrell enjoys spending time outdoors – hiking, running and taking ad-

vantage of our nearby beaches are just a few of her favorite pass times.

Meet the Staff

Meet Animal Caretaker, David Clanton … David is VBACAC’s Caretaker of the Month! A native

of Virginia Beach, this year is David’s sixth year with us. He is a

graduate of First Colonial High and is certified in animal first aid

and CPR. His areas of expertise include reptile husbandry. His fa-

vorite part of working here is reuniting animals back with their

families. Having worked with VBACAC for so long, David has a lot

of interesting memories of the shelter. His most memorable in-

cludes the shelter fire. “It was a great moment to see all the

staff and volunteers working so coercively to ensure that the ani-

mals were safe and unharmed.” David is recently engaged and en-

joys playing darts in his spare time. Thank you David for all that

you contribute to our team!

Volume 14, Issue 14 Page 9

Meet the Volunteers

Meet volunteer Kelly Copeland …

Kelly was born and raised in Virginia Beach and has always loved animals and had

them growing up, mainly dogs. She always donated to animal causes, advocated

adoption and supported bully breeds; she has never understood people's fear of

the breed.

Kelly always wanted to volunteer somewhere. She tried a couple of different plac-

es and nothing fit or felt right. She had always thought about volunteering with

animal rescue. She didn't think she could handle seeing the pain or despair or

handle the sadness. Once the shelter transformed into the new adoption-friendly

center and relocated to “her neck of the woods” she figured she’d try it. She had

no excuse as it was literally 4 minutes from her home.

After orientation, Kelly asked for someone to show her the ropes and Jean

(volunteer coordinator) introduced her “to angels” Wendy Mezzenga and John

Strader (fellow volunteers). They took her under their wings to show her the ins

and outs of the dog world. Kelly loved hanging with the dogs, as “it was a way to

get her dog fill in.” She cried on her first day when a dog she hung out with was

adopted. She was super eager and signed up for everything she could; training,

adoption events, grooming, and the Pet Portal.

It was doing the Pet Portal that her focus shifted from primarily dogs to include

kitties too... she noticed the dogs had many advocates and was so grateful for

them. But the kitties didn't have as many and she wanted more kitties to get out

of the shelter via adoptions... Her cat had changed her life so she knew they could do it for others. (Side story-

At 21, she stumbled upon a homeless cat in her neighborhood and tried to take it in and make it hers. The cat de-

cided it did not want to live with her, despite buying all things needed for a kitty and thus it escaped. On Black

Friday she found the love of her life at the VBSPCA and her life changed. Kelly never thought she could love

someone as much as she did her. Her cat opened her up to cats where she hadn't been as open before.)

Crazy for cats, Kelly helped more at Petsmart as the hours were way friendlier to her work schedule. When Pam

Eaton decided she couldn't be the Adoption Counselor/Volunteer Coordinator at our Petsmart she asked Kelly if

she would do it. Kelly told her she’d try it and that's how she got to be the second half of the cat duo at

Petsmart. Angela is her "mentor" and has taught her a lot. “She is the yin to my yang.” Kelly says, It is hard work

but I can't imagine not volunteering with the animals. Or with this group of people. Our goal is to help the animals

and our various approaches sometimes come together for something beautiful. It takes a "village" full of motivat-

ed people willing to spend a portion of their lives cleaning up poop. :)

Kelly continues, “Not a week goes by that I'm not face down on a litter covered concrete floor grabbing a cat

from under the cages but I'm okay with that. That's my new normal. And if that's what it takes to get a homeless

animal adopted, I'm all for it. I have an incredible, super patient and supportive partner who loves me even when

covered in litter and fur. He's even okay when I just show up with a foster without telling him. :)”

Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center

341 S. Birdneck Road

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

It’s the Law Did you know … The governing body of each county

or city shall maintain a pound and shall require

dogs running at large without proper tags to be

confined therein.

Do you have a suggestion?

We’d like to hear it.

Please drop off sugges-

tions in our suggestion box

and we’ll post the sugges-

tion and the response in our newsletter.

Phone: 757-385-4444

Fax: 757-227-9687

E-mail: VBPDAC@vbgov.com

Volunteer

Opportunities:

Do you love animals and

want to give back to the

community? We have the

answer for you there are

many ways that you can

help, from walking dogs,

cuddling cats or advertising

pets that are up for

adoption. We also are in

need of foster homes to

increase the amount of

animals that we can serve.

Listed below are

volunteer opportunities…

Cat Room Volunteer

Dog Walker

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Jean Deliz at policeanimalsheltervol@vbgov.com. She’ll be

looking forward to hearing from you.

Volunteer Front Desk

Greeter

Newsletter Team Member

Adoption Counselor

PetsMart Cat Center Vol-

unteer

Foster Parent

Animal Transporter

Pet Portal (Petfinder)

Call Center Volunteer

Lost/Found Assistance

Volunteer

Small Animal Companion-

ship

Special Events Volunteer

Vet Assistant

Youth Mentor

Adoption Follow-ups

Hours of Operation:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday — 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday — 11:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. (reclaims only)

Thursday — 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Shelter Statistics Mar

2014 Apr

2013

Apr

2014

Mar

2013

Dogs Impounded 294 292 332 278

Dogs Reclaimed 178 164 193 138

Dogs Adopted 103 116 86 116

Dogs Transferred 8 8 16 27

Cats Impounded 200 226 221 213

Cats Reclaimed 16 14 13 20

Cats Adopted 83 71 74 80

Cats Transferred 2 26 31 33

Other Companions Impounded 82 22 12 42

Other Companions Reclaimed 0 1 1 1

Other Companions Adopted 22 9 21 16

Other Companions Transferred 2 9 8 5