Starting Up

Woofs and Books' volunteers and Harry, an 8-month old, cream Labrador Retriever, are helping tutor 3rd graders at Noble Crossing Elementary School in Noblesville, IN.  The kids enjoy reading to Harry and are always excited to see their wonderful reading buddy!  Woofs and Books hopes to continue offering reading sessions at Noble Crossing in the upcoming school year.

Bentley, our inaugural reading buddy, has been invited to attend graduation with his Pre-K class.  He is busy shopping for a bow tie.  The teacher and parents have definitely noticed improvement with the children, such as increased enthusiasm about reading, improved verbal communication, and overcoming fears of dogs. Of course, no one can be scared of fluffy and docile Bentley Charles!  Bentley has been invited back in the fall to help 2nd grade students with their reading.

It was deja vu last weekend when Woofs and Books offered to shelter and find homes for 7 kittens and their Mama.  No Paws Left Behind, a wonderful organization, contacts rescues and shelters when animals are left behind in foreclosed homes.  Yes, people abandon their pets in their foreclosed homes. IF the animals are found alive, No Paws Left Behind will cover medical expenses so long as a rescue provides care, shelter, love,..and finds forever homes for the abandoned pets. No Paws Left Behind will also help people facing foreclosure find safe havens for their pets.

Last summer, volunteers caring for "the original" Mama Kitty and her 7 kittens were very stressed on how to care for one-week old kittens and Mama. What do we feed them? What do we do? When does Mama get vaccinated? Is Mama supposed to have that much gas? The kittens are not drinking from the bottle! The fat kittens are pushing the little one out of the way! Does Mama know she is sitting on one of her kits? Boy, that is a lot of poop!

This summer, the volunteers are pros. Yeah, yeah, give Mama kitten food.  Yup, that's a lot of poop,...  Soon, the two-week-old kittens will be more mobile and the fun will begin. Oh, and the litter box training. But, the fun!  The kittens and cats we adopt out are very spoiled, sassy, and happy.  

Drainage improvements are going to be started next week with the help of a mini excavator and free labor in the form of Girl Scouts!  The Girl Scouts will also learn about and plant a rain garden and a vegetable/pumpkin patch. We hope to grow the Great Pumpkin and sell the pumpkins as a fundraiser in the fall. If we can't sell all the pumpkins, maybe we will have a Pumpkin Throwing Contest in which people construct catapults/sling shots. Yup, that is what we do down here in Indiana.   

Woofs and Books also has new volunteers and an intern! The intern has to put in 300 hours for her internship. Bhahahahaha. Okay, okay...we will be nice to her. Seriously, Woofs and Books is gaining momentum with help from great volunteers, dogs, Girl Scout troops, and an official intern. The organization has also received grant money, which is greatly appreciated, and capital improvements can begin. What do we say? WOOF WOOF! 

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Woofs and Books was very excited to be interviewed today by Fox 59 News' morning show for its Paying It Forward segment. The segment will air on 02/20/2012 at various times from 4 AM - 10 AM and will also be shown on their webpage.

Nickie Scott, a wonderful person and volunteer, offered to transport Bentley, a Great Pyrenees, from Bloomington, IN to Anderson, IN for the Indy Great Pyrenees Rescue in September 2011. Bentley was struck by a car and had two broken legs and a fracture in a 3rd leg which was discovered later.  The owner of Bentley could not afford the medical procedures, so the Indy Great Pyrenees Rescue offered to care for Bentley and pay for the procedures.

Long story short, Nickie and her family fell in love with Bentley and not only offered to foster him during his rehabilitation but they also adopted him. Bentley has a very sweet demeanor and is very good and patient with children, which is typical of the breed. 

It was determined that Bentley would be a wonderful dog for the Woofs and Books program. So, Nickie took Bentley to the pre-Kindergarten class at St. Michael's School in Greenfield, IN.  The children were very excited to meet Bentley and took great joy in reading aloud to him. Bentley was attentive, calm, and pawed the children during the reading session.

During the filming for the Paying It Forward segment, it was the third time Bentley had visited the children. The teacher stated that after the second visit from Bentley, several children became more enthusiastic about reading. In addition, one shy boy began talking more. This is wonderful progress after ONLY TWO READING SESSIONS!  Woofs and Books plans on expanding the reading sessions to more schools once a fence is installed and dogs can be rescued and trained. The dogs will also be available for adoption.

Many people helped Bentley get the surgeries, care and love he needed. By being a reading buddy, Bentley is paying it forward by helping children become more enthusiastic about reading and improving their verbal communication.

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As of December 30, 2011, Woofs and Books is still striving to find permanent homes for our 3 adoptable pets - Mila, Oreo, and Madison by the New Year or soon thereafter.  Our furry felines, Mila and Oreo, will make great companions for any family as they are both playful, loving, and enjoy other cats.  Oreo has not been exposed to dogs, but Mila likes calm dogs and will even groom them. :) Madison, a beautiful Great Pyrenees, is seeking to be re-homed with a family who can provide her lots of attention. Madison adores children, which is typical with this breed, and enjoys the outdoors.  

During 2011,  Woofs and Books was successful in providing shelter, veterinary care, and a cat haven to FIVE cats and SEVEN kittens since operations ramped up in  June 2011.  

Woofs and Books is extremely proud of saving 12 lives and knowing they are (or will be) in good, loving homes.  All of this could not have been done without your support!

Woofs and Books looks forward to 2012 and hopes you will have a happy New Year!

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Woofs and Books' 2011 holiday fundraising is in full swing! The Indianapolis Colts donated an autographed, 8x11 picture of Anthony Gonzalez, Colts player #11. The signed picture will be auctioned off soon, so check back for more details. This would make a wonderful holiday present! Thank you Indianapolis Colts!

Extra bags of delicious Terri Lynn nuts and chocolates were ordered and will  arrive by 12/12/2011.  So, if you missed our Terri Lynn fundraiser, you will have another opportunity to purchase some wonderful treats for your friends and family. Prices range from $7-$10 for a 1-pound-bag.

Volunteer gift wrappers are still needed at Amazon.com's facility in Whitestown, IN. This is a great and easy way for Woofs and Books to earn money!! Volunteers are still needed on 12/10/2011 from 1:15 PM-6:15 PM to gift wrap products. Volunteers must be > 18-years-old. Please contact us at info@woofsandbooks.org if you can help!

Lastly, Woofs and Books has 4 pets available for adoption who are waiting to be home for the holidays! Oreo and Mila are two lovable, playful kittens; Bootsie is one cool cat; and Madison is a beautiful, older Great Pyrenees. Not only will they brighten your holidays, but they will also brighten your lives.  Remember, pets are not products and shouldn't be given as gifts.  However, if you and your family are already considering adopting a pet, this is the perfect time! Please consider welcoming these wonderful pets into your home. They can be found at www.woofsandbooks.org or on www.Petfinder.com. 

Thank you for your support!

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Mila, a lovable, playful, purring kitten, would love to be in a forever home by Christmas! Her little motor purrs constantly and she is very affectionate with people, other cats, and dogs. She has short, silky black hair and is 7-months-old. She is vaccinated, spayed, and microchipped. Please view more information on Mila on our Adoptable Pets link.

Bootsie, a very cool, laid back, young cat, would also love to be in a loving home by the holidays! Bootsie enjoys curling up on your lap and being petted. She also enjoys playing with her toys and climbing on the cat tree. Bootsie is 1-year-old, has short grey and white hair, and is vaccinated, spayed and microchipped.  Please view more information on Bootsie on our Adoptable Pets link.

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Woofs and Books' inaugural golf scramble was on 10/08/2011 at Saddlebrook golf course. 5 teams participated and we had a lot of fun!! Most of the men donned purple or pink skirts at the "skirt hole" in order to tee off from the ladies tees.  The men looked pretty in pink! The "drinking hole" was also popular since Washington Apple shots were available to the men so they could tee off from the ladies tees. The caveat is they had to drink the shot of alcohol before they teed off.

Sponsors and local businesses provided raffle prizes, items for the goody bags, and boxed lunches. Woofs and Books greatly appreciated their support.

It is Woofs and Books' goal to grow the golf scramble outing each year.  The next outing will most likely be held in the summer of 2012 prior to the start of the school year so more players can participate. For the first golf outing, it was a great success and the 5 teams were a lot of fun. Thank you for participating!

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Woofs and Books has SEVEN kittens who are 4-weeks-old that will be available for adoption in mid-August.  Friends of Woofs and Books were kind enough to take care of a very skittish, scared stray cat by feeding her but they could not house her.  They also noticed the stray kitty was pregnant, and Mama Kitty was transferred to Woofs and Books' facility.  It was a struggle to get her in the cat carrier, and she howled during the trip.

Then the drama began.  Mama Kitty (I know, very creative name) was placed in the barn. The next day when Mama Kitty was checked on, she was gone, unless she was under her invisibility cloak.  A small opening was found in the top corner of the barn which would explain how she escaped.  Sadness and guilt ensued since Mama Kitty was in an unfamiliar place with no food and was pregnant. 

For several days, cat food was left outside the barn in hopes she would return. At last, on the third evening, Mama Kitty was spotted eating the food. Yay! Relief was felt knowing she was still alive.  The cat food was then placed in the barn with the door left open in hopes of catching Mama Kitty again and moving her to the workshop.  She was spotted several times in the barn eating but was so skittish she wouldn't let anyone near her.  During the second week, we moved the cat food into a trap, but Mama Kitty had enought street smarts not to go into the trap.

So, persistence and patience were needed.  During the third week, Mama Kitty showed up at the same time each night and went into the barn to eat.  She finally allowed us to pet her and was very friendly, probably due to her hormones being out of whack since she was still pregnant.  Ha.

Mama Kitty did not show up in the evening for several days, and it was suspected she had given birth.  When she did arrive at the barn again, she was thin and very hungry.  She was followed that night to try and find where she was hiding with her kittens. She ducked under the neighbor's deck and couldn't be found - clearly a diversion tactic!  Two days later, she was followed again and her kittens were found near the neighbor's deck.  Not wanting to scare Mama Kitty so that she would move elsewhere, a quick glance was given to the kittens and there appeared to be 5 kittens.  

Now a plan was in place since the kittens were found. So, when Mama showed up to eat her food the following night, Mama Kitty was grabbed, surprisingly easily, and was moved to the insulated, air conditioned workshop.  The kittens were retrieved one at a time, and oh wait, not 5, not 6, but 7 kittens were in the hiding place!

Since June 1st when Mama Kitty and her seven adorable kittens were placed in the workshop, they have been an absolute delight.  Mama Kitty is very affectionate and loving and purrs and kneads constantly.  The kittens have progressed from barely walking to wrestling with each other, investigating the litter box, and licking up milk.  It is quite amazing to observe how much they have changed in almost 4 weeks.

As a treat for the kittens, well, maybe not a "treat" but rather an experience, the kittens were placed on Mia, a very gentle, patient, Great Pyrenees. Hey, the kittens have to get used to dogs at some point, right?  Mia sniffs and licks them and the kittens go on their merry way.

Mama Kitty and the kittens have been examined by a vet, Mama Kitty tested negative for FeLV/FIV and was vaccinated, the kittens were de-wormed, and Mama and her kittens are all very healthy.  All the kittens and Mama will be spayed/neutered at the beginning of August, and will be available for adoption by mid-August. 

Woofs and Books hopes to find loving, forever homes for these 8 precious cats.  Some pictures are on the website and more will be added.  The adoption fees vary and can be reduced by donating supplies or volunteering for a few hours.  All 8 cats will be completely vetted and spayed/neutered.  Since Woofs and Books is a start-up, non-profit organization (translation: there is little money in the coffer until the first fundraising event, a Golf Scramble, in September), the adoption fees will greatly help offset the medical costs incurred.

More updates to follow on Mama Kitty and her kittens.

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Woofs and Books will be leasing a beautiful, farmhouse built in 1900 that has a workshop and barn on 3 acres.  It will be a great setting for the kids and our furry friends. 

The Board of Directors, officers, and the Advisory Board were recently elected, and the goal is to submit the application for non-profit status by the end of May.

Regarding pet events, Mutt Strut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is on May 1, 2011.  We, and our furry friends, can't wait for the event!  The event benefits the Indianapolis Humane Society. So, grab your mutt and attend the greatest spectacle in dog walking.

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This is my first attempt at building a web site for my newly formed company, Woofs and Books. This site is definitely under construction and is a DRAFT.  Frankly, I am happy that I figured out how to publish this!!

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