Winter 2011 Newsletter - Cheyenne Animal Shelter

Cheyenne AnimalShelter AdoptionPhilosophy• Our open adoptionpolicy means we neverturn down an interestedadopter, except inextreme cases likesomeone with a historyof animal abuse.• We will maintain a••supportive relationshipwith adopters and theirnew pets to help nurtureand cement their bond.We accept that notall adoptions areperfect, and wewelcome the return ofadopted animals as anopportunity to learnmore about them toensure future successfulplacements.In the event of areturned pet, we willcontinue to work withthe adopter to finda more compatiblecompanion.Keep in touch!Send your successstories and photos to800 Southwest Dr.,Cheyenne, WY 82007or info@cheyenneanimalshelter.org.For news, tips and specialinformation, sign upfor our free e-newsletterby visiting our homepage, www.cheyenneanimalshelter.org,andentering your email addressin the sign-up box.Page 4How “Fat Sam” became “Svelte Sam”Hello,I have intended to email you for some time to let you knowhow one of the dogs seized from the first group of dogs in Carpenterin February of 2010 is doing. If you remember “Fat Sam,” hewas a senior Border Collie mix, severely overweight and sufferingfrom advanced hip disease. He was brought to the Park CountyAnimal Shelter in Cody as a part of the transfer of animals to relievethe pressure that seizure placed on your shelter. During 3 monthsin our shelter, in spite of lots of care and attention, his conditionsteadily deteriorated and he became totally immobile due to theextreme pain and arthritis. To try and get him moving again, I becamehis foster mom and began working on improving his mobility.Our middle school student council took on Sam as their first serviceproject of the school year in 2010 and raised money for the first oftwo hip surgeries (femoral head ostectomy), which took place inSeptember and December respectively. He went from 80 pounds toa healthy and lean 50 pounds, and the surgeries were very successful.After months of nursing him through recovery and dailyphysical therapy, he and I had bonded so strongly that it was clearthat this was his forever home, and I adopted him this spring. Henow runs, plays, jumps on the sofa, and is a completely differentdog with a new lease on life.I have attached some photos of Sam through the last year and ahalf: one showing him on his first night in foster care after havinga shave down due to the terrible condition of his coat (it is shiny,beautiful, and soft now!), one of him and his little chiweinnie friendon his first night home after his first surgery, a couple taken duringthe of months following his first surgery running (yes, running!)around on the ranch and in the fall leaves, his hip x ray showing thecondition of his hips prior to surgery, and one of him just this summeron a hike in the mountains.I volunteer for our shelter, and I know how frustrating and dishearteningit can get sometimes. So often we only hear the bad, the sad,and the negative. Know that for Sam, as for so many others younever hear about after they leave you, you have made a huge differencein his life. (By the way, his name is now just plain “Sam” ashe is a svelte, muscular boy!)Keep up the good work!Sincerely,Mary KefferCody, Wyoming