CCHS Volunteer Newletter
August 2003
Hello Everyone!
We are steadily working our way thru summer, and we are as busy as ever! July was a good month for adoptions, with over 200 pets finding new homes. Our total for the year is now up to 1,571 adoptions! The best part about July's adoptions is that several of our long-term resident cats finally found their new homes! As many of you already know, Vanessa was adopted two days shy of her 1 year anniversary! She holds the record for the longest CCHS resident! Gidgit, Tequila, Miss Sally and Tortellini were also among the long term residents to find homes in July, and we can't forget little Mina who found the home she so deserved! We also had some good dogs find homes last month, including Riley and Sweetie Pie! Let's hope August is just as good of an adoption month!
With August comes the students! We would like to welcome back all of the students that have been gone for the summer. We have missed having everyone around, and I know the animals will be glad to get the attention from all of you! Those of you that volunteered as lab techs, adoption counselors, and groomers last semester should contact me soon to set up a schedule for the fall semester. Please remember that scheduling is on a first come basis. If you no longer plan on volunteering for the Humane Society, please let me know so I can remove your name from the active volunteer list. All of the staff and animals look forward to working with you again!
August also marks the time for the Annual CCHS Summer Adopt-A-Thon. This year it will be held August 15th through the 17th. This is our busiest adopt-a-thon, so we need lots of help. The shelter will be open extended hours- Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm. I am looking for people to work 2-hour shifts, beginning at 11 am (10:30 on Sunday). Volunteers will work in the dog or cat areas helping people get the animals out so they can visit with them, as well as walking the dogs and socializing with the cats when there are no adopters waiting to be helped; or work as a greeter to welcome people as they enter the building and give them directions to adoption rooms, etc. I will need a minimum of 10 people per shift, and the shifts will run as follows:
Friday and Saturday (August 15th and 16th) Sunday(August 17th):
11 am to 1 pm 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
1 pm to 3 pm 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm
3 pm to 5 pm 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
5 pm to 7 pm 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
7 pm to 9 pm
Please contact me or if you would like more information before committing yourself to a shift. If you are willing to help, please try to sign up for the Adopt-a-Thon by Wednesday, August 13th so I can have a schedule ready on Thursday the 14th. I still need lots of help, so please sign up soon!
Prairieland Feeds has again asked us to participate in their Annual Pet Fair in September. It will be held on Saturday September 13th and Sunday September 14th. Volunteers will be responsible for watching a group of adoptable kittens (if it isn't too hot) and a cage of guinea pigs and a rabbit cage from the shelter (we take out a group each day); and giving out basic information about the shelter. I will need help for the following Shifts:
Saturday September 13th: Sunday September 14th:
11 am to 1 pm 1 pm to 3 pm
1 pm to 3 pm 3 pm to 5 pm
3 pm to 5 pm
Both days I will need one person from the first shift to transport the animals to the Pet Fair, and one person from the last shift to transport the animals back to the shelter. If you want to sign up for a shift, please let me know by Thursday, September 11th so I can have the schedule confirmed on the 12th. If you have any questions or need more information, please let me know.
I have several reminders to pass on to everyone:
A fetching Ball, the Annual CCHS Dinner & Auction, is coming up on November 7th. We are now in the process of gathering items to sell at the auction. If you have something you are willing to donate, or if you have any ideas for items to sell, please let me know.
Please remember that the cats in crates down the hallway are not available for adoption and should not be visited with. Some of them may be sick or may be on cage rest. If you have any questions about these cats, please talk to the front desk staff.
Please remember to keep the shelter clean. The staff work hard to keep the shelter clean, and we need your help to keep it that way. Please put leashes, combs, and other supplies back in their proper location; dirty towels should be put in the dirty laundry bin in the laundry room to be cleaned; and throw any trash away in one of the trash cans behind the front desk or in the laundry room. With your help we can keep the shelter looking clean so the adopters and animals can have a pleasant experience while they are in the facility.
Please keep out of the weeds and brush that run along the back and east side of the shelter property. There may be some areas that contain Poison Ivy. This means all dogs need to stay out of them as well; the dogs can carry it on their coats, thus transferring poison ivy to people as they are taken out of their kennels and played with.
**Important note for dogwalkers: Walked signs will no longer be used beginning Monday, August 4th. The signs are being replaced with a Dogwalking Board located across from the walking supplies. This board will contain the names of all the adoptable dogs that can be walked.
**If the dogs name is not on the board, it can not be walked.**
The board will contain 3 walked columns: Morning- 9 am to 12 pm, Afternoon- 12 pm to 3 pm, and Evening- 3 pm to 6 pm. There will be magnets on the board for you to put in the proper column for each dog as you take them out. Please use one magnet for each dog. For example, if the dog was walked during the morning shift, and you come out for the afternoon shift, move the magnet from the morning column to the afternoon column, and if the dog goes out again for the evening shift, the magnet should again be moved over to the evening column. This will make it easier to ensure that the dogs are coming out in shifts during the day. You will now be able to see if the dog has been walked in the last few hours, or if it has been several hours since the dog was outside. Play Area will still be written on the dogs kennel card in red ink if they are approved for the area, and housebroken dogs will still have housebroken signs on their cages. If you have any questions about the new system, let me know or ask the front desk staff.
Thank you again for taking the time to volunteer. We could not do this job without your help and support. If you have any comments, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to call me or email me. I want your experience here to be enjoyable. After all, the animals enjoy having you spend time with them, so you should enjoy spending time with them as well.
Julie
Julie Keith
Volunteer Coordinator
Champaign County Humane Society
1911 East Main Street &Mac221; Urbana, IL 61802
Julie@cuhumane.org &Mac221; www.cuhumane.org
(217) 344-9314 Phone &Mac221; (217) 344-7299 Fax